A Kingdom Of Madness and Crystal Spires
by Dengirl
Summary: When you think of Empires ruled by mad men, you think of Rome, the Third Reich, and Cambodia. But did you ever in your worst nightmare think of an Empire ruled by the Time Lord Victorious and the Time Lord Vainglorious.
1. Chapter 1

_**Other character include Jack Harkness, Torchwood, Martha Jones and other characters. Warning: some parts of this stort will be rated M but mostly rated T.**_

Jack sighed and looked out of the window of the small craft as it skimmed the surface of the water.

He could see of the lights of the Capitol in the distance and his stomach fluttered with nerves.

He looked away and closed his eyes and let his mind drift back to another time; a happier time; a time when the smile of a certain person would chase away the demons and the monsters that lived in the darkest recesses of your dreams.

He opened his eyes again when craft banked sharply.

"Sorry, they've changed the security sweep since the last assassination attempt."

Jack became alert then. "Assassination?"

"Yeah, stupid rebs, thought they could kill him when he went for his morning walk."

"Who?" Jack sat forward.

"His Consort, the one that calls himself the Doctor," the pilot snorted.

"Was he hurt?" Jack's heart raced.

"Wounded, so the rumours say. No-one really knows, the rebs were strung from the palace walls the same day. We were lucky to get before the Master went on the rampage."

Jack let out a relieved breath...he wasn't dead.

"How many escaped?"

"About a hundred, it was sheer luck that the main group were out in the wastelands. I'll drop you just outside the east sluice gate. One of our spies will meet you there."

Jack nodded and let his eyes close again; it might be a while before he could close them again.

* * *

The Master woke suddenly, sensing that something was out of place. He looked over to his right; one side of the bed was empty.

He sat up and quickly scanned the room. The doors to the balcony were open and he could see him silhouetted in the moonlight.

He sighed and slid out of the bed and walked out onto the balcony. He wrapped his arms around the slim figure and pressed his mouth into the slender neck.

"Come back to bed, you need your sleep."

The figure tensed a little when he felt strong arms around him and shivered when a breeze played across his skin.

"I can't sleep."

The Master breathed in deep and the spice-like scent of his lover filled his nostrils.

"You must or you'll get sick and I don't want you to get sick."

His lover let out a laugh. "But you love looking after me when I'm sick."

"Yes, but the servants don't like it. You get grouchy and throw things at them and grouchy staff makes for dissention. Now come back to bed."

His lover sighed and nodded and let the Master lead him back to bed. He lay on his side and tried to relax, but a tremble ran through him.

"Ssh now," the Master said and moulded his body against his lover's. "Sleep now, no-one can hurt you here Doctor."

* * *

Jack sprinted away from the shuttle that lifted off as soon as he'd stepped out. There was only a small gap between the patrols and he really didn't want the pilot or himself to be caught.

He tried to make as little noise as possible as he walked through the steady trickle of water. He stopped when he saw a figure move in the shadows.

"Nice night for a stroll," Jack said.

"Only if you're a bat," the figure answered.

Jack smiled. "Captain Jack Harkness."

"I could have guessed that. My name is Matthew."

Jack shook his hand and noticed the tattoo on his wrist. "You work in the palace?"

"I'm just one of the household staff. Their personal servants are mind-read, I wouldn't pass the test. I can only take you as far as the safe house. It won't be long before I'm missed."

Jack nodded and followed him along the pipe and into the city.

They skirted the main street as it would certainly be patrolled and kept to the back alleys.

The smells of rotting meat and other less pleasant odours assaulted Jack's nose...this was the reality for those that weren't part of the elite or were not willing to sell their souls to the Devil and his Advocate.

Matthew had stopped outside one of the houses and was rapping on the door. Jack heard the shunk of a lock and low whispered words between Matthew and someone else.

He gestured to Jack and he followed; more than a little nervous. He knew who he'd left in charge, knew who he'd left behind.

"Hello Jack," a voice said from the dark of the room they'd stepped into.

"Ianto," Jack said quietly.

* * *

The room had emptied apart from a few of the senior members of the rebel group.

"I wasn't expecting you to come back, not after the fall of Beijing," Ianto said, the anger in his voice more than evident.

Jack went to touch his face but he recoiled and gave him a 'don't touch' glare.

"I'm sorry for that, but there was so much carnage. I got stuck behind enemy lines, they wouldn't let me, forced me to go."

Ianto grunted and seemed to change the subject. "So, what does bring you back?"

"That can wait, I was told there was an assassination attempt on the Doctor, was that your idea?"

Ianto looked at Jack and could see the hard edge on the lines of his face.

"If I had, I would have shot him in the head, no regeneration," Ianto snapped.

Jack sat back, the bitterness in Ianto's voice not really surprising him. It was a huge burden when you were the only one of a handful of people who knew the truth; knew that this wasn't the true reality.

So he could forgive Ianto his anger and his fear.

"Yes, you would. So someone else is trying to stop them. Do you have any idea who?"

Ianto didn't reply at first, almost looking uncomfortable at giving an answer.

"Ianto, who?" Jack pressed.

"We think, well I think and he's the only one who could. I think it's him,"

Ianto paused and let Jack work it out for himself.

Jack stopped breathing for a second. "White Coat."

* * *

The Master lay awake, his arm protectively covering his lover. His hand touched the still lived scar that ran across his belly.

He snarled silently and his anger spiked for a few moments and his whole body tensed...only he had the right to harm his lover.

The Doctor stirred in his sleep and whimpered in Gallifreyan.

The Master tightened his hold on him and tried to quench the anger running through him. The dreams the Doctor was having were getting more frequent, just like his psychotic outbursts.

The wrongness of him still made the Master quiver; the insanity was like knives driven into his skull, almost drowning out the drumming.

He knew it was wrong, knew that this shouldn't be. Knew that he should rid the Doctor of his sickness.

But he couldn't.

He would lose his lover and the only other of his kind. But most of all, he would lose his new Empire.

It was the Doctor's insanity that held the paradox in place...the Doctor was the paradox.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Warning: This chapter is definitely M rating due to sexual content.**_

Jack couldn't take it in...how could it be possible? How could White Coat not be affected by the change?

The only reason he could think of was that they were all inside the base when the Doctor had changed everything, and the whole world, maybe the whole universe had ripped and warped.

If the Year that Never Was had been hell, then this was living in the Devil's own playroom.

"Then that makes what I have to say even more urgent," Jack said.

Ianto leant forward. "You're planning something."

Jack locked eyes with Ianto. "Oh yes, something big. I'm planning to kidnap the Doctor, right from under the Master's nose."

Ianto's eyebrows went up and there were murmurs from the little group of trusted generals.

"You're serious?" one of the men said.

"Deadly, take the Doctor and de-programme him."

The one that had asked the question spoke again. "De-programme, what's that, some kind of torture?"

Jack shook his head. "No, but what it will do is get the Doctor on our side."

"If it works," Ianto said.

"If it works," Jack repeated.

"You know he'll tear this world apart looking for him," Ianto said.

"I'll deal with that when it happens."

"It will be for nothing if you can't get past his personal guard. Plus he hasn't let him out of his sight for more than five minutes. That assassination attempt has just made him crueller, he's cut the food rations to the worker by twenty percent." Another said.

"I heard he's joining his army outside Washington DC to lead the final assault."

Jack looked at Ianto. "Is this true?"

Ianto nodded.

"So, if you're planning on snatching him, it'll be out in the field with three hundred thousand over loyal troops."

* * *

The Master was the first to rise and slipped quietly out of the bed, not wanting to disturb his bedfellow.

The night had been eventful and he was sure the screaming had reached the ears of the palace guard on patrol on the palace walls.

Now the Doctor was sleeping the sleep of exhaustion and on the day of their departure as well.

Huffing in the beginnings of a sulk he decided not to let it ruin his big day and went and had a shower instead.

He didn't hear the door open but he did hear the shower door open.

Slim arms snaked round his waist and slender fingers caressed his stomach.

The Master could feel exactly what mood the Doctor had woken up in as it was hard against his back.

"Not this morning, busy day. City to raise to the ground."

He shivered slightly when a puff of frustrated breath blew cold on his neck.

"Are you sure?" the Doctor breathed and placed butterfly kisses along his shoulder and nuzzled his neck.

The Master felt himself reacting to the Doctor's attention to the spot just behind his ear and for a few moments thought that morning shower sex would be fun; it had been a while.

No, he fought down the urge and pulled away from the Doctor. "No, business first."

He felt the Doctor pout against his skin and regretted his words; a sulky Doctor would not do in the battlefield.

"Later, nothing like post decimation sex," he said and kissed the Doctor. "Now, shower and dress. Pick something military."

"Can I blow something up this time?" the Doctor asked in a child-like whine.

The Master knew that tone and the Doctor knew he could not resist it. "Fine, you can blow something up."

The Doctor flashed him a brilliant grin and cornered him against the shower door and ran his tongue across the Master's clavicle.

Lust spiked hot and un-tempered in the Master. "What the hell, there's time," and with a snarl grabbed hold of the Doctor's hair, yanked his head back and bit into his neck.

The Doctor let out an animalistic growl which drove the Master to bite harder into the slender neck.

The Doctor let out a groan of pure ecstasy and pressed against the Master, his own lust and need hard against the Master's own.

"You are mine!" the Master snarled and with a strength that only another Time Lord could survive twisted the Doctor and drove him into the opposite wall and spread his legs.

With his own animal growl he forced himself inside the Doctor, the whimper of pain from the Doctor only making him harder.

"Who you belong to?" he growled as he thrust.

The Doctor let out a moan that told the Master that he was near to completion.

You," he gasped.

The Master increased the speed of his thrusts. "Who am I?" he snarled.

"My Master!" the Doctor cried out and any other words were lost in a feral snarl as he spent himself against the shower wall and arched back towards the Master.

The Master lost control then and answered with his own snarl and as he spilt inside the Doctor he bit down hard on the Doctor's shoulder, drawing blood, marking him as his.

He held the Doctor up when he felt his knees buckle as he freed himself and whispered in his.

"Will you ever leave me?"

"I'll die first," the Doctor murmured.

"Good, now you've gotten messy. Shower and get dressed, Washington DC awaits. I've waited long enough to get my hands on the President."

* * *

Jack waited in the alleyway just of the main road that led to the palace. He supposed the palace was beautiful to look at, all those crystal spires that gleamed in the sunlight.

But any beauty was marred by the things that went on inside it and the actions of its inhabitants.

Jack sighed, how had it gotten this complicated?

He knew in his heart of hearts that the Doctor was at the centre of all of this; his insanity had warped and changed the world.

He tried to stop it, he really had, but when you added the Master into the mix, it became impossible and he'd had to endure watching the world being destroyed city by city. Watch thousands of people enslaved or crushed underfoot.

Now the last city to stand against them was about to fall and the world would belong to the two most dangerous creatures on Earth. But he knew it wouldn't end there, they would spread beyond the Earth and consume the whole of existence.

He looked up when Ianto approached.

"We're in luck, we've managed to get one of our cells attached to one of the medical units. We'll have more freedom and won't draw too much attention and you might get close, if you're lucky. The unit is just outside the gates, we're just waiting for them."

Jack nodded and followed Ianto, trying not to scratch where the wool of the uniform he was wearing scratched him.

No-one took any notice of them as they joined others dressed in similar colours.

All of their attention was on the gates.

What seemed an eternity later the gates swung open and a large armoured vehicle roared out of them.

* * *

Jack breath caught as he saw the pair that were standing and saluting the mass of soldiers.

There was the Master, dressed in a black uniform that was etched with gold and red. But Jack's attention was taken by the other figure.

Dressed in a matching uniform but with silver etching was the Doctor. He looked every inch the soldier and was scanning the crowd.

Jack shrank back as the Doctor's eyes fell on his unit and for a moment Jack thought his eyes narrowed. He held his breath and only let it out when the vehicle had passed and his unit began to move forward.

Jack watched as the vehicle went out of sight...now all he could do was wait; wait until the right time and hope to all the gods that his plan would work.


	3. Chapter 3

The Master stepped into his personal quarters onboard the aircraft carrier, the Doctor close at his heels. He knew without turning around that the Doctor was distracted.

He turned then and yes he was definitely distracted.

"Something is bothering you," he said.

The Doctor blinked. "Hmm?"

The Master sighed and grabbed hold of the Doctor's face and instantly knew it was a mistake.

Dark brown eyes flashed with golden fire and then darkened to almost black.

"Don't touch me," his lover snarled and pulled away.

The Master knew he had to be very careful; had to cool the fire that was threatening to burn.

"Something has upset you my love," he said gently, using the same tone he would when taming a Cera cat. "What is it?

He watched the Doctor's face, trying to read the cause for his outburst.

He approached the Doctor and took the Doctor's face in his hands. "I think you need some fun, you look tired."

"Maybe, yeah."

"In fact, why don't I have the wonderful Miss Cooper and the delightful Miss Jones sent to our room. I think you could do with a little entertainment."

"Yeah," the Doctor replied, eyes still blackened with repressed rage.

The Master turned to one of his generals. "Have them dressed and in our quarters."

He wrapped an arm around his lover's waist. "Have I shown you my latest toy? I think you'll love it."

* * *

The cell door opening was not a good sign and the person nearest the door shrunk back.

"Out!" a voice barked and when the voice didn't get the response it wanted, the two occupants were dragged out.

Gwen let loose with a string of expletives as herself and Martha were dragged along the corridor and shoved into a bathroom.

A woman was waiting with folded arms.

"Clothes off and get them in the bath, they're tonight's entertainment," one of the women said.

The scuffle that ensued only managed to add another bruise to Gwen's and ended with both of them being dumped into water that was just a little too hot.

The other woman threw bars of soap and rags at them. "Wash, you can't be stinking of prison."

After what the woman thought was enough time they were hauled out of the baths and they were pushed into another room.

Two frightened looking young women jumped as they were shoved inside and the door was slammed shut behind them.

"Let me help you get dressed," one of the girls stammered, looking at Gwen.

Gwen smiled at the girl. "Don't be scared, we're all prisoners."

"You don't have to help us," Martha said.

"Please Miss, we have to, we'll get beaten if we don't!" the other girl cried.

Martha and Gwen looked at each other and then sat in front of the large mirror. They allowed the girls to do their hair and make-up and dress them in what looked like very expensive evening dresses.

They both felt like very well dressed sacrificial lambs.

* * *

Jack couldn't believe the luck of the unit they'd managed to infiltrate had been the one that was headed by the Chief Surgeon, who was directly responsible for any treatment of The Master's consort.

This meant he was nearer to the Doctor than he could ever dream of being. He now thanked the gods that he was carrying that Thoracian camouflage device...not even Time Lords could see through it.

He'd unexpectedly been promoted to the Chief Surgeon's assistant after the former had an unfortunate 'accident' and he was now being lectured on the do's and don'ts of treating his patient.

"Be aware that you will at sometime, when I am unavailable asked to treat the Consort for his psychosis. The key you have been given is the box that holds all the medication you will need. Only I decided the dosage and it will be in pre-prepared doses. However, you may be required to have him restrained when his episodes are violent enough to counteract the drugs. When this happens and it is happening more frequently, you must call me immediately, no matter how occupied I am, is this understood?"

Jack nodded and knew that if he got that close, he would be doing anything but calling him.

* * *

The Master guided the Doctor away from the machinery and back onto the main deck of the carrier.

"Do we have to go? I wanted to fire one of the missiles." the Doctor whined.

"You can, but not at New York...I need New York. Besides it is nearly time for dinner and I have a special dessert for you...two delectable desserts."

The Master smiled when that certain glint filled the Doctor's eyes...oh the ladies were not going to enjoy themselves tonight.

* * *

Martha and Gwen stood outside the doors to the private quarters of their imprisoner. Both of them were nervous, unsure of what to expect.

"He'll still be insane, won't he?" Gwen asked.

"Yes," Martha said.

"Then, if he wants to play rough let me take it," she said as the doors opened.

They were expecting to find themselves alone with the two insane Time Lords, but instead found themselves looking at a dinner party.

"Ah, there you are ladies!" a voice called out from the other side of the room.

The Master appeared from the crowd and bowed. "How fashionably late you are," he grinned, but they could see the smile didn't reach his eyes.

"I thought for one moment you were going to stand us up, but you're here. Everybody, they're hear!"

Polite and nervous applause filled the air.

"This way ladies, this is a double date after all."

Both Martha and Gwen were shocked by the appearance of the Doctor. He looked pale, well, paler than normal. Dark circles showed under applied make-up and if it was possible, he looked thinner.

But the thing they noticed the most was the look in his eyes; it was one of uncontrolled insanity and it was directed at them.

The Master moved over to the Doctor and whispered in his ear. "Now behave until the guests have gone, then you can play."

The party seemed to last an eternity, but eventually the guest either left or were politely but firmly ordered to leave.

Now both women's nerves were on edge; now their safety net had gone.

The Master planted a kiss on the Doctor's lips.

"Now, don't hurt them too much," he said and disappeared.

* * *

Gwen stood in front of Martha as the Doctor approached and she could see there was going to be no reasoning with him.

"Miss Cooper, would you kindly move away. Myself and Martha Jones have unfinished business."

The Doctor let out a snarl of anger as once again Gwen stood in his way. He'd backhanded her more than once and he'd forgotten the Master's words; she was in the way of his prize.

"Move or I will kill you," he snarled and reached for Martha once more.

Her cries of fear only spurred him on; she really was quite beautiful when she was scared.

Once more Gwen Cooper stood in his way and this time he would make sure she would stay down.

With a feral snarl he reached for Gwen instead, grabbing her by the throat and crashed against the wall with her.

"You are getting in my way," he snarled and began to squeeze.

He ignored the frightened cries of Martha and ignored the sound of door opening and feet running.

It wasn't until hands grabbed his arms and shoulder did he register that someone was trying stop him.

"Get them out!" a voice bellowed, but the words were muffled to his rage misted senses.

He bit and scratched at the hands holding him, animal- like snarls and growls replacing words.

Red mist began to fall over his eyes and he knew nothing from there on.

* * *

The Master had heard the cries and smiled to himself; he was having a good time. At least he was letting off steam; he'd be easier to control afterwards.

Then the wall next to the door had physically moved and the cries became screams of terror and the Master knew it had happened.

He threw open the doors just as his guards were trying to prise the clearly out of control Doctor's hands from around Gwen Cooper's throat.

"Get them out!" he'd bellowed as they managed to separate them.

Now he was faced with a snarling rabid Doctor, who was too far gone to handle alone

"Find the Chief Surgeon and bring the shackles!" he roared as he tried to hold the crazed Time Lord.

* * *

Jack looked up when he heard footsteps, someone was running his way.

His personal guards skidded to a halt in front of him.

"Chief Surgeon!" he gasped.

"He's out in the field," Jack responded.

"Then you'll have to come. It's the consort, he's flipped out."

Jack's stomach flipped...the Doctor.

Swallowing hard, he picked up his case and followed the guard at a run.


	4. Chapter 4

Jack actually started to sweat as he approached the living quarters. He really didn't know if the camouflage device would really work on Time Lords, despite the assurances of the salesman.

He stopped outside the door and his heart quickened when he heard shouts and what sounded like snarls.

Taking a steadying breath he opened the door into chaos.

Three hefty guards were trying to restrain a snarling Doctor, who was at that moment trying to bite another guard who was trying place a set of shackles around the Doctor's wrists.

Jack was unsure of what to and was rooted to the spot. A voice bellowing at him galvanised him into action.

"What the hell are you doing!" an unforgettable voice bellowed at him.

Jack risked a glance in the direction of the voice, but he could see no recognition on the face...the Master didn't recognise him.

He swung into his best impression of a medic as he could.

"How long has he been like this?" he asked as he tried to get close the snarling Time Lord.

"Since that bitch got in the way of his fun!" the Master spat. "Just give him the sedative!"

Jack risked turning and glaring at the Master. "Not until I determine if the break was caused by something physical. Has he been ill recently, sustained an injury?"

He was stalling for time, not willing to sedate the Doctor.

"Hold him still!" he snapped at the guards. "Leave the shackles, hold his head still dammit!"

He looked into the Doctor's eyes and saw pupils that were blown, like someone on narcotics.

"My Lord, you must calm down. I can't help you if you don't."

* * *

The Doctor's eyes suddenly focused on Jack and he let out a scream that grated on Jack's nerves.

"Wrong, wrong, wrong!" the Doctor screamed and his struggles became more violent and all four guards and Jack struggled to keep him still.

"What in seven hells are you doing!" the voice of the Chief Surgeon roared and Jack found himself pushed out of the way.

"Go and treat the prisoners, I will deal with you later!"

The Chief Surgeon ignored him after that and produced a syringe and seconds later there was silence.

"Move!" he bellowed at Jack before turning to the Master. "Forgive him my Lord, he is unfamiliar the Consort's condition. I will reprimand him myself."

* * *

That was all Jack heard before he was hustled out of the room and towards the lower decks.

Well, that went well he thought and it worried him that maybe the Doctor in his unstable state had seen through the camouflage. It was going to be more complicated than he thought; he had no idea the Doctor was this far gone.

Now he'd lost a chance to get within the inner circle and he may not get another chance.

He waited while the guard opened the cell door, expecting to find another one of the Master's torture victims.

So when he saw Martha cradling an unconscious Gwen who had extensive bruising around her throat he was taken aback.

He glanced up and saw no camera, why would they need in a cell...could he chance it.

* * *

Martha had tried to stop the Doctor when he'd backhanded Gwen and had received a snarled warning. She ignored it and when he'd advanced towards she'd tried to go on the attack.

Once again Gwen got in the way, growling out her own warning and she paid the price when he backhanded her again.

She'd shrunk into the corner then as he advanced her, the intent clear on his face and she knew this time there was no-one to rescue her.

It had shocked her when Gwen had once more placed herself in the Doctor's way and she cried out in terror when he'd grabbed her by the throat and slammed her into the wall.

She was actual relieved when the Master appeared and she was dragged way and Gwen was dumped on the floor next to her.

She could do nothing but hold Gwen and hope that someone would come and see to them.

So when the cell door had opened she'd hoped it was a doctor.

When what she assumed was a medic at least, judging by his uniform stood there with an open mouth and shocked look on his face, her already stretched patience snapped.

"Are you going to see to my friend or just stare at us!"

That seemed to galvanise the medic, but instead of reaching for the medi-kit he had he reached into his pocket a few second later he seemed to shimmer.

She blinked; did she see Jack for a few seconds?

Then the medic gave her a smile and a wink that could only belong to one person. She went to speak but the medic put a finger to his lips and pointed to the cell door...the guard.

* * *

Jack knelt down and looked directly at Martha and whispered. "I thought you were dead?"

"We thought you were dead. It's been a year, where have you been?"

Jack said nothing but concentrated on Gwen.

The bruising looked painful and relief flooded through him when her pupils looked normal.

"Did the Master do this?"

Martha shook her head. "The Doctor did Jack and it's not the first time."

Jack looked at her, disbelief in his eyes.

"I'm sorry Jack," she whispered. "But he's gone and the Master is doing nothing to stop it. Can you get us out of here?"

Jack shook his head. "Sorry, I don't have the authority. Only the Chief Surgeon can have you moved, and that's if the Master agrees to it."

He gave Gwen a shot of pain- killers. "Be patient Martha, if what I'm planning works, there'll be so much chaos you'll be able to walk out."

Martha frowned at that but didn't get a chance to ask what that meant as the cell door opened and the guard stepped back.

"Will she live?" he said.

"Yes, this time," Jack replied and without looking at either of the women again he left the cell.

His heart sank further as he walked away; even if he snatched the Doctor, was there anything left to save?

* * *

The Master dismissed all but the Chief Surgeon, who was dressing the wounds made by the shackles.

"Your diagnosis?"

"I can only up the strength of the sedative another two percent, My Lord. The dose is near fatal as is. These attacks are becoming more prevalent and soon the sedative will not work. We may be forced to adopt more drastic treatment."

The Master knew what that meant and shook his head. "No, you are not performing any of your barbaric surgery, not ever!"

The Chief Surgeon took a deep breath and despite being wary of his Lord's temper continued.

"My Lord, if we do not perform what you call barbaric surgery, then you will lose the Consort to irreversible madness, and he will need to be restrained permanently."

The Master shook his head again. "Get out!" he yelled.

He waited until the door was closed before approaching the now sedated Doctor. With a tenderness that he thought he could not feel he stroked the sweat dampened hair of his lover.

"You can't leave me, not now. Not when we're so close. Once Washington has fallen, this world, then this galaxy and the rest of this miserable universe will be ours."

The Doctor groaned and opened his eyes and focused on the Master.

"The Universe?" he breathed.

The Master smiled. "The Universe."

The Doctor smiled at him, trying to keep drug hazed eyes open. "I'll burn the Sun for you," he whispered and lost the fight and closed his eyes.

The Master kissed his forehead. "And I'll burn this world for ruining you."


	5. Chapter 5

Morning came with the not-so dulcet tones of the Chief Surgeon bellowing for his unit to shift their lazy asses.

They were chivvied along; Jack included and loaded onto a transport.

Jack really didn't notice the other members, knowing that Ianto and the other rebels were already on the ground.

Someone clearing their throat made him look up; it was the Chief Surgeon.

"Despite your ineptitude I have decided to give you a second chance. You and a military detail are assigned to running field medicine. Fail to impress me here and you will be on the front line in the next attack, understood?"

Jack nodded, not wanting to protest, needing to keep his profile low.

The slight bump told him that the shuttle had landed. He stepped out of it and stopped.

It was like a scene from an apocalyptic movie. Alexandria, one of Washington's sister cities was on fire and the air was thick with smoke and the acrid smell of oil burning tugged at his throat.

That had been two hours ago and the battle had moved on and the Master's forces were descending on Arlington and the Potomac and their ultimate goal the US capital.

Jack had to use every bit of his triage training as casualty after casualty appeared in the mobile med-tent.

It must be hell out there he thought, soldier must have been reduced to hand to hand fighting, judging by the increasing bayonet and knife wounds pouring in.

If he ever managed to face the Master, he was going to make him pay.

* * *

The Master watched the city burn and he revelled in it...it was a small part of the vengeance he would take on this world for ruining the only other being who could be his equal.

He glanced over at the figure standing next to him and his anger burned once more when he took in dark circles under eyes that should have been expressive and the scowl that marred a beautiful face.

The drugs that were holding in the madness that held the paradox in place were killing him. Yes, he'd tried to kill the Doctor many times over, but at least it was done on a level playing field...Time Lord against Time Lord; a matching of wits.

But stupid apes had driven the Doctor to insanity; he'd seen that in his mind, amongst the darkness. There was one human he so wanted to find and rip apart painfully and it stuck in his craw that he hadn't found the one called White Coat.

But he would find him and then he would give him to his lover and torture what was left.

Then he would turn his attention to finding the freak...he couldn't hide forever. Then together the Doctor and himself would re-shape the whole of time.

He could see the Doctor was on edge, could feel the blood-lust through their bond. He placed a hand on a shoulder and felt the tremble.

"Calm, there's no-one to fight."

He was suddenly proved wrong when pain suddenly bloomed in his shoulder and the retort of a sniper's rifle followed.

As he crumpled to the floor he heard a snarl and knew what was happening, but couldn't stop it.

He tried to call out but his voice was lost in the return fire of his guards and then dizziness took hold and darkness enfolded him.

* * *

The Doctor wanted to join the fight, wanted to tear into the stupid apes. His blood was singing in his ears and his hearts were pounding with pent-up rage.

He chafed against the Master's words, willing him to let him go. He trembled at the sounds of the battle; but he could not disobey his Lord.

Then the shot had come out of nowhere and he saw only two things...the dark bloom against the green of the Master's jacket and his falling to the ground.

Then he knew nothing as rage welled up inside him, red and all encompassing.

With a snarl he leapt from the RV and disappeared into the smoke...now he would make them pay.

* * *

Jack was elbow deep inside a soldier when the call came; attend the Lord Master. He knew he couldn't refuse, not because he didn't want the Master to be in pain, but because he could get near to the Doctor again.

"Is the Lord Consort injured?" he asked as he washed his hands.

The soldier shook his head. "Worse, he's taken off. No-one knows where he's gone."

Jack said nothing and started packing a med-kit. "Give me a minute," he said to the soldier.

He waited until the soldier had left and took out a small com unit.

"Captain?" Ianto's voice crackled in his ear, it sounded distinctly like gunfire.

"Ianto, he's slipped his leash. He's out on the battlefield somewhere, unguarded."

There was silence for a few moments.

"Understood."

"Ianto, alive," Jack warned.

Another pause. "That will be up to him."

"Alive, Ianto," Jack said again and switched off his com.

Now to come face to face with the largest snake in the pit.

* * *

Ianto switched off his own com and scowled. Did Jack really expect the crazed Time Lord to come quietly?

He let out a breath and tuned to his second-in-command.

"Re-call the unit, the Lord Consort has gone AWOL. Time to go big game hunting."


	6. Chapter 6

The Doctor knew exactly where he was and what he was going to do. However to get there he needed transport and that wasn't going to be easy in a war-zone.

He'd entered the city about twenty-minutes ago and had been avoiding enemy and his own troops since.

He avoided the enemy for obvious reasons, but he avoided his own because he did not want to be dragged back to the so-called safety of his own line.

Yes he loved the Master; but he chafed against being molly-coddled and not being allowed to go anywhere without his guards

Once he'd been happy to stay within the grounds of the palace or go out only when the Master decided it was necessary.

He understood that the Master was being protective, because of his illness, but he was beginning to feel stifled. Plus his nightmares were becoming worse; images of worlds disintegrating and the shrieks of something metallic that never showed itself. Images of humans that for some reason seemed familiar but he didn't remember meeting.

The Master told him that it was all part of his illness and that they were just nightmares. But sometimes when he was alone and there was nothing to fill his thoughts, he wondered.

The sound of a vehicle in the distance broke his thoughts; he'd found his transport.

* * *

Ianto scanned the streets as the RV drove through ruined streets. He had to be here somewhere? He'd been spotted entering the city about an hour ago. If they were going to catch him, it would be here.

He banged on the roof of the RV when he saw a movement. It could only be him, the fighting had moved out of the city and no-one sane enough would still be in the city.

The RV stopped and all but the driver climbed out.

Ianto held up his hand for silence and pointed towards a ruined building. He gave silent orders and the men moved in different directions.

Ianto and another man stood in front of the RV. If this worked, the Doctor would be driven towards them.

He checked the dart in his rifle and then the spare; he would only have two chances, then it wouldn't matter, they would be dead or he would be forced to kill the Doctor.

If that happened he might as well be dead, because if Jack didn't kill him, then the Master would.

* * *

Jack could hear the Master as he walked towards the hastily erected field tent.

"I will not lay still. I will be going out into the city and searching for him. I will not wait for a medic!"

As he pulled back the tent flap he collided with a figure coming out.

"Out of my way!" the Master growled and went to push Jack out of the way.

Jack put a hand on the Master's chest. He needed to take charge and let Ianto have a chance at capturing the Doctor.

"You are going nowhere, my Lord. If you go out in the field with an open wound, the Lord Consort might just be burying you instead."

The Master glared at him, but didn't try and push him away. He sighed and moved back into the tent.

"If you're going to treat me, then be quick about it," he snapped.

Jack itched to cause the Master more pain than necessary, but he wanted to get out himself and help Ianto. So he stitched the wound as quickly as he could and wasn't surprised when the Master moved as soon as the last stitch was finished.

"Now, get out of my way," he snarled and exited the tent with is ever present guard.

Jack let out a breath and stepped out of the tent and found a quiet corner.

"Ianto, you have incoming." He frowned when he got only static and worry set in when he tried two more unsuccessful attempts...something wasn't right.

He put his com away and moved off, towards the city, knowing that there was every chance that something bad had happened to Ianto and his men. He couldn't think about what he would do if it was the Doctor that had attacked them; he couldn't think about that at all.

* * *

The Master reached out within the bond between him and the Doctor. He was taken aback by the rage that was the Doctor's mind. He pushed forward again, trying to get past the rage and the insanity... to see through his eyes.

Yes, there it was; the connection he wanted.

"_What are you doing?" _he asked.

_"Go away," _the reply came.

The Master recoiled at the reply, this was intolerable. _"You should come back or I will have to come and find you."_

The reply was succinct and short. _"No."_

The Master lost his temper then. _"You will come back, you will obey me!"_

The refusal was screamed at him and he recoiled from the ferocity of it. _"Get out of my head!"_

The Master had no choice; the Doctor always was the stronger telepath.

He withdrew and snarled at his guards. "Find him!"

* * *

Two more RV's entered the city and stopped and two figures got out and looked out at the ruined building

"You do know who he belongs to now, don't you?" one of them said.

"Of course, but I do have first claim to him."

"You know he'll tear this planet apart looking for him."

"No doubt he will, but I have no intention of being here when he does."

"You'll never get out of this city."

"That is my problem. But I rather think your position as Chief Surgeon turned traitor should be more of a worry to you. Now, shall we continue? " the other man said and brushed dust of his white coat.

* * *

The Doctor had retreated back into the ruins when he'd heard the rev of RV's engine...not the sort of transport he had in mind.

He blended into the shadows when he heard footsteps, but he knew he couldn't stay hidden for long; they would find him eventually.

He waited and waited, trying to judge the right moment.

He knew he would be in trouble for this, but he didn't care. For all that he loved the Master he was after all the Oncoming Storm, the Destroyer of Worlds...time to let this world know it.

He wanted the Master to see he was more than just a pretty prize; he wanted the Master to see it, to see what he was capable of.

He decided to take a chance and grab the RV; after all it was a fair way to the nuclear missile sight and he really didn't want to walk.

He moved out of the shadows and peered round the end of the shattered building. It was then that he spotted who was standing in front of the RV.

He couldn't believe it; it was his pretty boy.

Dark thoughts flooded through his mind and he forgot the missiles, what he wanted to do to the Earth, wanting to impress the Master.

He had only one thought on his mind...Ianto Jones.


	7. Chapter 7

Jack hurried along what was left of the main road into Alexandria. He'd long since turned off the camouflage; if this worked, he wouldn't need it anymore.

The eerie quietness of a place after a battle still grated on his nerves, even after the hundreds of battles he'd been in.

It smacked too much of a graveyard to him. He'd lost count of how many had died under this so called New Empire. Perhaps to those that lived in the city with its crystal spires it was a paradise; but to most it was hell.

And in that year of hell he'd had time to think about what had happened back in White Coat's lair...something had changed everything and he had a pretty good idea what. Loathe as he was to think it, he knew it had to have been the Doctor. In his insanity, he must have thought that it was right, and he had no doubt that the Master had used it for his own twisted purpose.

But that was history for now, until he had the Doctor back on the path to sanity, if he could. No scratch that; he had to get the Doctor back into his right mind or this twisted hell would never cease.

He skirted around several burnt out cars and then a half-melted tank; he was in the city proper now.

He never had time to react to what he saw as he emerged; never had time to see the bullet that killed him.

* * *

The Doctor moved further out into the rubble, intent of getting behind Ianto and the only other soldier.

It had been painfully easy the others; they really weren't a match for Time Lord, no matter how well trained they were.

He'd taken items from each of them; it was a little quirk he'd picked up, one that the Master found amusing.

What did the little simians call them...trophies?

He was skirting round a ruined building, when he heard that voice. A cold river of fear ran through him...it couldn't be, not here?

He risked a glance round the building and saw a flash of white and his hearts seemed to stutter.

It was him, his tormentor...White Coat!

Panic began to rise and he began to realise the foolishness of his actions...he was alone and unprotected and the only person outside of the Master who knew how to control him was only metres away.

With rising panic he broadcast his fear through his bond to the Master; calling out for him to find him.

* * *

The Master patience was growing thinner as they moved further into the city. He'd tried tracking the Doctor through his bond, but his insanity was like static interference.

He'd given up trying and was relying on his men to find him.

Then it had hit him, like a wave of pure emotion; one emotion...fear, and one image flashed across his mind.

He snarled when he saw who it was...he wasn't having that. White Coat was going to regret ever being born.

"_I hear you. Stay where you are, I will find you."_

_"No, I have to hide, he'll find me...hurt me!" _the panicky reply came.

_"Ssh now, I will find you."_

_"No!" _the reply came and then any further response was lost in a wash of unbidden terror.

He snarled again and barked into his com. "Go east, move!"

As they moved off, his second-in-command touched his arm and pointed.

A figure was emerging from behind

* * *

White Coat scanned the rubble and for a moment thought he saw a flash of movement. He brought the device he was holding forwards and smiled when he got a familiar reading.

He banged on the roof of the RV and it ground to halt, the other RV pulling up beside it. He gestured to the armed man who was acting as a spotter and he disappeared inside for a few moments.

Seconds later, at least half a dozen armed men were negotiating the rubble.

White Coat followed behind with the Chief Surgeon.

"You have the sedative?"

"Yes, but I warn you, I can only administer one shot. The strength of this is already at the maximum I can give without it being fatal. If your man misses?"

"He won't, I assure you," White Coat said and took the dart from the Chief Surgeon.

* * *

Ianto was getting increasingly nervous. There had been no sound or communication from his men for the last few minutes.

He knew that he and one man would be no problem for the Doctor if he chose to attack; force of numbers was the only way to contain him.

The chink of rubble caused both of them to whirl round and Ianto couldn't believe his eyes...the Doctor had stepped...no stumbled out from behind a building and fell to the ground.

Something was sticking out of his chest.

He raised his weapon and then lowered it in confusion.

The look on the Doctor's face was one of fear and then he saw why and he went pale.

Stepping out from behind the building was a group of armed men. But Ianto wasn't focused on the men; it was the person behind it in a white coat.

He let out a gasp and weapons were swung in his direction. And without hesitation he dropped he weapon as did his compatriot.

* * *

The man he knew as White Coat stepped forward. "A wise decision Mr Jones, one that may well keep you alive."

He gestured to one of the armed men and there was the crack of a shot and the man next to Ianto fell to the ground.

"He was expendable," was all White Coat said.

Ianto didn't struggle as he was dragged forward.

White Coat was already ignoring him, interested only in his regained prize, who looked at with eyes now dulled with drugs.

"Time for you to come back to your real Master."

The shot that kicked up at his feet caused everyone to jump.

Another group of armed men appeared over the ruins of a building and this time Ianto knew there would be no chance of being treated fairly.

"I think you'll find he only has one Master...me."


	8. Chapter 8

Ianto had no idea who fired the first shot and in the carnage and confusion he didn't care. What he did know is that they were fighting over one person, and that if he was really clever, he could steal that person away...let the others kill each other.

He crawled along the ground, using what cover he could; he knew the fire fight wouldn't last long; White Coat was undermanned and underpowered.

He could see the Doctor, who was cowering by a burnt-out car, trying to move his drugged limbs. He had to move quickly as he could see the Master inching closer.

He reached the Doctor who was trying to squeeze himself into the burnt-out shell of the car.

There was no time for niceties, so he grabbed hold of one of the Doctors legs and started to drag him out of the car.

The Doctor's head snapped round and Ianto could see that his pupils were dilated with the drug and he saw something else.

The Doctor's fear had turned to panic.

The Doctor snarled and kicked out, screaming obscenities in his own language and in human.

"Get off me you filthy s'aria, Master!" he screamed and tried harder to get inside the wreck and kicked out again as Ianto tried to reach inside.

Ianto swore and reached for the Doctor again. "Come on Doctor!" he yelled and grabbed the Doctor's foot and pulled, not caring if he hurt him.

He went to pull again but found himself yanked back.

"Leave him alone, filthy ape!"

* * *

The Master had heard the Doctor scream his name and saw someone trying to pull someone out of a wrecked car.

He ducked as a bullet bit into the ground next to him, and it was then that he saw the Doctor inside the wreck, trying to get away from...Ianto Jones, Harkness' puppy dog.

With a snarl he stood up and to finish the fight he finally used his laser screwdriver and melted the weapons of White Coat's remaining men, killing a few of them at the same time.

He barely noticed the bodies fall to the ground as he covered the ground between himself and the ground in a few strides.

He didn't even care when he saw White Coat slipping away.

With a growl that he realised was part anger and part concern he took a handful of Ianto Jones' jacket a hauled him away.

"Leave him alone, filthy ape!" he snarled and threw him to one side, letting his men deal with him.

He crouched down and looked inside the car and into a pair of terrified eyes.

"There you are," he said and went to grab the Doctor's hand.

The Doctor let out a cry and pressed himself further into the remains of the car.

The Master sighed. "Come on, I won't hurt you."

He didn't get the response he wanted and sat back. He was about to try again when one of his soldiers ran up to him.

"My Lord, an enemy patrol has been spotted heading our way. They must have seen our transports."

The Master sighed and said to the men that weren't holding Ianto. "Get him out."

He stood back while they forcibly pulled the Doctor out of his sanctuary. He kicked and swore and spat.

The Master only moved closer hen he'd been hauled to his knees.

"Hold him still!" he barked.

He placed his hands on the struggling Time Lord's temples.

He forced himself into the Doctor's mind, cleaving through the morass that was the Doctor's panic.

_"Master?"_

_"I'm here."_

_"Scared...all alone."_

_"You don't have to be, not anymore."_

_"He hurt me...made me sleepy."_

_"He won't hurt you again."_

_"Promise?"_

_"I will skin him alive if he tries again."_

The Doctor sighed. "Tired now."

The Master felt the bond between them fading as the Doctor slipped into a drug induced sleep.

He withdrew and placed a hand on the face of his now sleeping lover. "You are never going to be scared or alone again."

He turned to his second-in command. "Call for my shuttle and bring Mr Jones."

"What about the other one, my Lord. He's not dead, apparently."

The Master smiled. "Bring both of them to the palace."

* * *

Martha had been sitting by the cell door; she was still waiting for Gwen to come round. Her head was still reeling from the Doctor's attack and the revelation that Jack was still alive.

Her year as a 'guest' of the Master was one she wanted to forget; she would never get the screams of the prisoners that had been tortured and she'd been forced to treat.

The commotion outside made her sit up and she got up and moved to the door. She couldn't believe when she heard a familiar voice cursing and swearing.

She could only watch as Jack and impossibly Ianto were shoved into a cell opposite them.

She sagged physically; now there was no hope...the two insane Time Lords had won.


	9. Chapter 9

**Last chapter before I have to go into hospital. I will reply to any reviews when I get out.**

**This chapter is rated M because of sexual content.**

The Master had reined in his anger until he'd made sure that the Doctor was back in their quarters and blissfully asleep.

His generals stood well clear as several pieces of priceless pottery smashed against the wall.

One of the generals cleared his throat. "My Lord?"

The Master stopped mid-throw and glared at the general who despite his fear carried on speaking.

"My Lord, the first wave of troops has reached the outskirts of Washington. We need your permission to advance."

The Master looked at the general then at the closed door to the bedroom. "Burn it," he snarled.

"And what of the man in the White Coat?"

The Master thought about it for a moment. "Send his description to my bounty hunters. I want him alive."

The generals saluted and left the room, leaving the Master to vent his anger alone.

* * *

Martha waited until the guards had moved away and she heard the heavy door clang shut. She pressed against the bars of her cell and called out.

"Jack, Ianto!"

There was the shuffling of feet moments before Jack's voice floated back. "Martha, are you okay, how's Gwen?"

"We're okay, are you okay?"

"Had better days," Jack replied.

"We're in trouble, aren't we?" Martha said sadly.

"Yeah," Jack answered.

* * *

The Master had retired to their private quarters, the drumbeats in his head threatening to split his skull apart.

This was the time he needed the Doctor the most; the raging storm of his insanity that drowned out the drums, for a while at least.

But for now he had to leave that particular wild ride alone; it was too wild, even for him. He looked over at the figure sleeping peacefully in their bed and wondered how long he could hold onto the storm and hold onto the paradox that was giving him what was rightfully his.

He knew that one day something would cause the Doctor to regenerate and the insanity may go with it; not that he wanted this particular version to change...he really was quite beautiful.

Shaking his head lay down beside his lover and closed his eyes and tried to quieten the drums.

He was woken by movement beside him and the sound of someone crying...the Doctor was awake.

He turned to face his lover and found tear filled eyes looking straight at him.

"I'm sorry," the Doctor said quietly.

The Master wiped a tear from the Doctor's cheek. "Sorry for what?"

"For taking off, but you were hurt and I got so mad. Sorry for being angry at you. I wanted to kill them...kill them all."

"Why be sorry, it's no more than what they deserve."

"But he found me. I thought I would never see you again."

"Don't worry about him, he's history," the Master said and kissed the Doctor, tasting the salt of his tears.

The taste of salt and the Doctor's unique honey- like scent filled the Master with desire and he deepened the kiss and was pleasantly surprised when the feeling was reciprocated.

He carried the kisses down that slender neck, breathing deep to take in the musky spice of the Doctor's arousal.

"You...are...so...beautiful," he breathed as he butterfly kissed his way back up to the Doctor's face. "You are the storm that drives away my madness...don't ever change."

Before the Doctor could reply, the Master captured those lips in a passionate kiss, biting down and causing the Doctor to hiss and arch towards him.

He ran his hand down the Doctor's body and found his lover already hard. He wrapped his hand around the Doctor's hardened shaft and squeezed.

This elicited a feral growl from his lover and he felt it harden some more. Normally he would punish him for such blatant forwardness, but not this time.

This time he wanted to forget.

He squeezed again and the growl from his lover became harsher, animalistic in tone; a warning to the Master.

The Master began to stroke his lover, knowing he was tempting the storm that was coming, knew it would hurt.

He used his other hand to force the Doctor's head back and bit into the tender spot just below the Doctor's Adam's apple.

All control over him was then lost as the Doctor let out a savage growl and flipped the Master onto his back, eyes wild with unbridled lust.

The Master grinned and once again grabbed hold of the Doctor's hair and forced him towards him and bit into already bleeding flesh.

He savoured the taste of his lover' blood, revelled in marking him as his.

The Doctor growled again and tore free of the Master's grip and with a snarl sank his teeth into the nearest piece of the Master.

The Master let out his own snarl and lunged for his lover.

They crashed off the bed and knocked a table flying, sending lamps and other objects crashing to the floor.

This wasn't just sex...this was rutting.

The Master cried out as the Doctor forced himself inside him and bit into his shoulder. The Master began to laugh as the drums were drowned out by the howling of the storm that was the Doctor.

As they came together, the insanity of the Time Lord Vainglorious and the Time Lord Victorious melded into one maelstrom of un-tempered madness and they both howled at the universe.

* * *

The morning seemed to come all too quickly and they woke to the sun streaming through the open window.

The Doctor smiled sleepily at the Master and whispered in High Gallifreyan. "S'haria."

The Master smiled back as the Doctor promised forever. "I have something for you," he said and pulled the Doctor from their bed and into the shower.

The guards outside tired hard not to listen to the snarls and growls coming from behind the closed doors; it was better not to know.

So they said nothing when a little while later the Lord Master and the Lord Consort emerged from their quarters and pretended not to notice the bite marks.

* * *

Jack tried to keep track of time and guessed that they must have been in the cells a good twelve hours before the Master came to see them.

He guessed he was coming as Martha and a now conscious Gwen had been shoved into their cell.

The door opened and in stepped the Master...and the Doctor.

The Master had his arm around the Doctor's waist, which made Jack feel sick.

"See, they're all here...well almost. I couldn't find that scrawny blonde bitch. Do you like my present?"

The look of delight on the Doctor's face made Jack's heart sink; even more so when the Doctor kissed the Master.

"Can I choose which one?"

The Master smiled like a father indulging a spoilt child. "Except the freak, leave him alone."

The Doctor pouted and then brightened.

"Ooh, it's so hard, they're all so pretty." He pointed and said. "I choose that one."


	10. Chapter 10

The Master had stood and watched in silence, smugly satisfied with the de-moralizing effect it had on the group.

It hadn't surprised him which one the Doctor had chosen; he'd seen the obsession in his lover's mind.

"Just don't break him, I can't stick him with glue," he'd said to the Doctor.

He turned his attention then to Jack, who was glaring at him with undisguised hatred.

"What, jealous that he didn't choose you, why would he want a freak?"

Jack stared at the Master, but it was Gwen who spoke first.

"You know he'll kill him!" she spat.

"Oh I know, I quite expect him to be asking for a new toy soon. But that shouldn't concern you. What should concern you is, are you going to live long enough to find out?"

"Leave them alone!" Jack snarled and lunged for the Master, but was restrained by two guards.

"Really Captain, show some decorum. Not a very good example for your team is it? Besides, I came to give you the good news. Washington has fallen, the President is being executed tomorrow and this pathetic planet is now ours. I suggest you make yourselves comfortable, you and your little team are going to be here a very long time."

* * *

"It's best not to fight, it only makes it more painful," the man said as he adjusted the collar around Ianto's throat.

"A word of advice," the woman said as she handed him the very expensive looking shirt. "Do as he tells you and if you're lucky he won't hurt you...much."

"How can you stand it...all this?" he said.

"What choice do I have?" the woman retorted. "Better to live as a slave, than die free like those deluded rebels."

Ianto looked at the woman; saw the defeat in her eyes. "No, better to die free than live life in this hell."

* * *

Night fell and the Doctor was itching to play with his new pet; but the Master had forbidden it. He had to wait until after the execution.

Boredom however was setting in as the Master was somewhere doing something and had told him to stay in their quarters.

Well, he wasn't having that. He needed some entertainment, and if he couldn't have his new pet, then he would go and play with the others.

No-one questioned him as he walked along the spacious marble corridor. He stopped for a few moments and looked out of one of the windows.

He sighed as he looked at the crystal spires of the city as they sparkled in the moonlight. Was there ever a time when could have wandered those streets unrecognised.

It was then that he felt the tug of the bond and the Master's query as to where he was. Not this time the Doctor thought and for the first time since they'd bonded, he lied.

* * *

Jack sat against the wall of his cell, now the only occupant after Ianto had been dragged away. This whole thing must be a nightmare he thought, one he really wanted to wake up from and soon.

He could hear crying coming from the cell nearest to his. He clenched his fist and punched the floor in frustration; he couldn't even comfort the rest of his team

Oh, he was going to make sure the Master never regenerated, once he escaped from here. But what to do with the clearly insane Doctor; that was something he was at a loss as to what to do.

The sound of the doors to the cell area being opened made him sit up...was it the Master again, coming to gloat?

The face that appeared at the bars to his cell definitely wasn't the Master.

He stood up when the cell door opened and held his breath when the Doctor stepped in.

He said nothing as the Doctor sunk to his haunches and looked Jack directly in the eye.

"You know, I used to respect you captain. How you managed to turn yourself around and live a better life. I remember when we first met, you a con-man, me with the big ears and that awful leather jacket. Now I know I was foolish to trust you, to trust any human."

"Did he teach you that?" Jack finally said.

"I was blind to it, letting my feelings get in the way. He lifted the scales from my eyes. Let me finally see the truth."

"And what truth is that?"

"That all along my feeling for your stunted species was wrong, deluded."

Jack leaned forward then, causing the Doctor to move back and almost overbalance.

"No Doctor, what's deluded is that you actually believe that. You have to stop this, you have to stop him!"

The Doctor stood then a look of shock on his face. "Why would I do that, I love him."

"No you don't and he doesn't love you. You're both insane if you believe that."

The blow when it came was brutal and violent.

"You have no right to say that!" the Doctor yelled.

Jack spat blood and wiped his bloody nose. "He doesn't love anyone, not even you."

"You're wrong, if he didn't love me, why are we bonded? You don't bond if you don't love someone."

The Doctor hauled jack up and placed his face right up to Jack's.

"You know, I was going to ask him to spare you any unnecessary pain. But now I hope he tears you limb from limb...freak." the Doctor snarled.

He pushed Jack against the wall before letting go and stalked out of the cell, slamming the door behind him.

Jack hung his head in defeat; the Doctor was far too gone. This meant only one thing, the one thing he really did not want to do.

* * *

The Master could feel his lover's rage before the doors to their quarters burst open. He could see by the darkened eyes and the scowl on his face that something had happened.

The Doctor walked straight up to the Master and clamped his hands on his head.

The Master would have collapsed if the Doctor hadn't being holding his head. The force of the Doctor's anger burnt across their bond.

After a few seconds the Doctor let go of his head and the Master's knees buckled; but he was caught by the Doctor.

"I knew he was lying," he said as he held the Master close to him. "I'm sorry, I won't do that again

The Master pushed away from the Doctor and looked at him. "Have you been to see the freak, he tells lies about me."

The Doctor hung his head. "I know that now...I'm sorry."

"Don't see him again."

"I won't," the Doctor said.

"Good, now come to bed, it's a big day tomorrow. In fact I think we'll make it a double...no treble execution. Who do you think we should execute along with the President?"

The Master was pleased to see the wicked grin cross his lover's face.

"I know," he said and whispered in the Master's ear.

The Master's eyes lit up and he clapped his hands and kissed the Doctor soundly on the lips.

"We can make the freak and your new pet watch. Now bed!" he cried and shoved the Doctor towards the bedroom, wishing that the morning was already here.


	11. Chapter 11

_**Here's a twist I hope no-one saw coming.**_

The Master walked out of the laboratory a satisfied smile on his face...it had worked. He'd thought it would never happen...but it had.

He'd asked the Doctor if it was something he wanted and was delighted by the response. That had been six months ago and they had been working towards the changes that were needed.

He knew they were doing something that was forbidden amongst their own people; but they weren't here anymore.

Now he could tell his lover the good news and life was about to change for the both of them. With the execution of the President and those troublesome females this world was finally his...life was good.

He found the Doctor looking out at the city and moved quietly up behind him and engulfed him in a hug.

"I have the test results...its positive."

The Doctor turned and smiled one of his brilliant smiles and his eyes shone with affection for the Master.

"It worked."

"Yes, you should start to show soon...it's going to be a boy. Now was all that pain worth it."

"More than worth it...a son, our son."

The Master smiled and kissed his lover. "Our son, now let us start this new dynasty by ridding this world of its last one."

* * *

Ianto knew his time was definitely up as he was shoved into the large room that served as a Time Lord version of a Throne Room.

He tried to resist when one of the guards attached his chain to a ring next to one of pair of velvet covered chairs and received a shock from the collar for his efforts.

There was silence for a few minutes and then the sound of excited voice filtered through the door.

As the door opened a delighted squeal came from the person who strode into the room first.

"Oh yes, you did! You dressed him in my favourite clothes and the colour!"

Ianto tried not to flinch as the Doctor bounded up to him and circled him like he was an exhibit in a museum.

The Doctor noticed the flinch and moved closer and engulfed Ianto in a hug. "Don't be scared," he said and planted a kiss on Ianto's forehead. "I'm not going to play with you...not yet anyway. Now play nice and smile when you go outside, no-one likes a sour-puss at an execution."

Ianto felt his stomach roil when the Doctor pressed his lips to his ear and whispered. "If you're really good, you might be able to sleep in the bed...won't that be fun."

Ianto was glad when the Doctor was distracted by the entrance of the Master, who rolled his eyes at the way the Doctor was playing with his new pet's hair.

"Can't you wait?"

The Doctor shrugged and moved away from Ianto, who sighed with relief.

"I don't think he's going to be fun, at least the last one tried to please me."

The Master ignored the last comment and guided the Doctor away from Ianto. "Enough of that now, the crowds are waiting and the executioner is impatient. The people will want to know our good news."

Ianto frowned when the Master placed a hand on the Doctor's stomach...then it dawned on him and he was almost sick.

He watched as the pair linked arms and walked out of the room; this was wrong on so many levels he thought as he was pushed along behind them.

* * *

Jack didn't even look up when his cell door opened. He could smell what constituted breakfast and his stomach protested at having to eat more of the so called porridge.

"You should eat, keep your strength up."

The voice made Jack look up...it was Matthew, the man who'd met him at the city walls.

Matthew crouched down and placed the tray on the floor.

"Thank god you're alive. We thought he would kill you there and then. I'm sorry we couldn't get here earlier."

Jack shook his head, he was glad to see a friendly face. "Not your fault, but how did you get into the cell area?"

"Doesn't matter. Captain, we have a plan to get you and everybody away from here."

Jack frowned. "How?"

Matthew smiled. "We've made a deal with the other Devil in this world. We give him what he wants and he'll help us rescue you. But there's something I have to tell you Jack, something about the execution this morning."

* * *

Martha clung onto Gwen as they were pushed along the corridor. They only stopped when they were joined by another prisoner.

"Isn't that?" Martha said.

"The President, Washington must have gone."

"Gwen?" Martha said.

"Yes," she answered.

"I think we're going to die."

* * *

Jack was still in shock when Matthew left and the guards came and dragged him from his cell. He couldn't believe it, it was a nightmare of the Doctor's making; something he thought would never happen.

He couldn't put faith in the sketchy plans that Matthew had explained and he had no idea who the rebels had made a deal with to help them. All he could think of was what he was going to witness.

He heard the crowd before they even approached the large doors; it sounded like something out of a gladiator movies.

The doors opened and he was pushed outside and found himself on a balcony and what lay below was something out of a gladiator film.

The arena was huge and was exactly like a roman arena in every detail, including what looked like a fight between something that might have been a tiger at some time and man with nothing but his hands to defend himself.

The crowd roared its pleasure when the tiger thing leapt on the unfortunate man and he went down. Jack was glad that couldn't hear the screams of the man as he died and he looked away as the man was eaten.

The silence that followed was filled with the sound of trumpets and the doors to the balcony opening.

Jack had to bite his tongue as the Master stepped out into the daylight, closely followed by the Doctor, who glared at Jack.

Jack started when he saw Ianto just behind and he realised that he was being led by the Doctor, a chain attached to a metal collar that was barely hidden by Ianto's shirt.

Ianto glanced up, his eyes widening when he saw Jack. He hesitated for a moment, which was a moment too long.

The Doctor turned and yanked on the chain, causing Ianto to stumble forward. "No dawdling or looking at the freak and you don't look at my pet."

A snap of the Master's fingers drew the Doctor's attention and he moved away from Jack, taking Ianto with him.

The Master gave the Doctor a disapproving look. "What did I say?"

The Doctor hung his head. "No talking to the freak, but he looked at my pet."

"Whatever, I'll talk to you later. It's party time."

He stood up and the murmur of the crowd started to increase as the doors of the arena began to open and three figures were marched in.

The Master moved forward to stand against the balustrade.

"My people, today marks a special day. Today sees the end of the war that has plagued us."

The roar of the crowd reverberated around the arena but faded when the Master held out his hand.

"Today sees an end to those who would usurp the peaceful order of our glorious empire. Today will not only see the execution of the leaders of the terrorists who have made your lives a misery."

He held out a hand to the Doctor, who took it and stepped up to join the Master.

Today will see the beginnings of a new era. Today we announce that your Lord Consort is with child and a new dynasty will arise."

Jack didn't have time to react to the news as the crowds cheers were drowned out by a huge explosion and then chaos reigned.


	12. Chapter 12

The roars of the crowd turned to screams as a whole section of the arena collapsed and then the stampede began.

The gates of the arena opened and soldiers poured out...rebel soldiers and mowed down anyone in the uniform of the empire.

In the ensuing panic, civilians were mown down in the crossfire; but the fighting didn't stop.

The Master had dived to the floor, covering the Doctor with his own body. With a snarl he finally hauled himself off of the floor and looked out over the balustrade.

His eyes widened in disbelief...how could this happen? He didn't however have time to answer his own question as he saw a wave of rebel uniforms heading for the balcony in the now destroyed and deserted arena.

The Doctor, Jack, Ianto and himself were hustled inside by their personal guard and the door bolted behind them.

If they thought this was protection they were wrong.

* * *

The sound of gunfire echoed down the marbled corridor and the screams of the palace staff rang out.

The Master scowled and turned to one of his guards. "Find my generals and tell them to do their jobs and get the Lord Consort to safety!"

The Doctor grabbed hold of the Master's arm. "No, I'm not leaving you!"

The Master placed a hand on the Doctor's face. "Brave but no, you're carrying our son. You have to keep him alive...for vengeance sake."

He nodded to the remaining guards. "Take the freak and the pet as well, go to the bunker."

Two of the guards gently took hold of the Doctor, who refused to move. "No, let me stay. I can still fight!"

The two guards began to drag him away, following the others who were herding Jack and Ianto towards a set of doors.

"No, no...please!"

The Master turned away and began moving back towards the balcony doors.

The explosive shattering of the other doors made him whirl round.

* * *

Rebel soldiers poured from the ruined doors and the guards were dispatched quickly and he found himself on his knees with a least half a dozen rifles in his face.

One of the rebels stepped forward and looked at the Master with disdain, then looked at the Doctor.

"Keep that one, take that one and kill him."

"No!" the Doctor cried and tried to free himself from the soldiers that were holding him.

"Shut it!" one of the guards growled and rammed his rifle butt into the Doctor's midriff, causing him to double over.

The shock that had overcome the Master disappeared in a wave of rage. "Leave him alone, you stunted apes!" he roared and with a surge of strength managed to free himself and began running towards his fallen lover.

He never got more than a few paces before the man that had ordered his execution fired and he fell to his knees.

He looked down in surprise at the blood already staining his clothes.

As the blackness overcame him the last thing he heard was the scream of the Doctor as his bond was torn away and he knew no more.

* * *

Jack had never been more happy than seeing Matthew; but that all changed when Matthew ordered the murder of the Master.

He wasn't fast enough to stop the soldier assaulting the Doctor; wasn't fast enough to stop Matthew from shooting the Master.

The scream that was torn from the Doctor's lips shredded Jack's nerves but there was nothing he could do as he was dragged out of the ruined door and both Ianto and himself were pushed along after them.

He managed to glance back and he couldn't be sure, but he thought he saw the Master move, and then they were out of view and into the palace courtyard.

The Master was forgotten for the moment as the sight of the place on fire took all of Jack's attention. But that was only for a second and then a figure took all of Jack's attention...a figure in a white coat.

* * *

White Coat smiled as he saw his property being dragged kicking and screaming into the courtyard.

He stopped as the man he'd done the deal with stepped forward.

"You kept your part of the bargain, I'll keep mine."

He raised a hand and two guards dragged the Doctor forward. His struggles stopped when he saw White Coat and he went very quiet.

White Coat stepped forward and ran a scanner over his property.

"Unharmed, good..." he paused and he raised an eyebrow. "Well, this new, you're with child. Interesting, something else for me to study."

It was then that the Doctor came to life and he let out a frightened keening wail...not out of fear of what White Coat would do to him, but fear of what he would do to his unborn child.


	13. Chapter 13

The Doctor's keening wail snapped Jack out of the state of shock he was in.

"What the hell are you doing!" he yelled.

"Keeping my part of the deal," Matthew said.

Jack moved and stood in front of Matthew. "You can't give him to that bastard."

Matthew stared back at Jack. "Yes I can, it's no more than he deserves. He treated people like animals, then that's how he should be treated."

Jack's temper flared. "He is not an animal and I'm not going to let you give him to that man!"

Matthew and Jack were now eyeball to eyeball.

"I know what you think about him," Matthew said quietly. "I wish I could just give him to you, but I made a deal and I can't back out now."

"He was...no is my friend and you heard that announcement, he's carrying a child. No matter what you think he's guilty of, that child is an innocent. If you let that bastard have him you might as well stick a knife in his belly yourself."

Matthew sighed. "I'm sorry captain, if I don't I'll have a lynch party to deal with. Like it or not, that man is the Lord Consort's best chance of staying alive."

"I'll stop you," Jack replied.

"No, you won't," Matthew said and two soldiers grabbed him. "I'm sorry."

Matthew turned to White Coat, who was examining the Lord Consort like he was prize livestock.

"Take him and go and don't let me see you again. If I do see you again, you will be shot."

White Coat nodded and turned away. "Bring that," he said and walked away.

"I'll find you and kill you!" the Lord Consort screamed at Matthew as he was dragged away.

"Let's go, leave this place to burn," Matthew said.

* * *

Fire burnt through the Master's gut as he moved. He writhed in agony as the wound began to heal and the bullet was expelled.

He let out a cry of pain as the bullet fell to the bloodstained floor. He curled up in pain again, not because of the wound but because of the sheer terror being broadcast by his lover.

With a groan of pain he forced himself to his feet and staggered along the corridor and through the destroyed doors.

Another wave of terror burnt through him and he fell to his knees. He crawled forward until he came to the entrance to the courtyard.

He stopped then and took the scene in front of him in.

The Doctor was struggling in the hands of two rebel guards and the Master could feel the rage and the fear pouring from him.

He let out a silent snarl and was about to move, when he saw him...White Coat!

The wail that came from his lover tore through the Master and he very nearly gave himself away as he shifted in the rubble. Fury built in him as he watched White Coat examine his lover like he was one of the slaves at the market.

His eyes narrowed when he saw the freak and the man that had shot him arguing. Then the freak was restrained and his lover was dragged away and out of his sight.

A new feeling burnt through the Master...not just rage at losing his empire; not just rage at the thought of his lover in the hands a stupid ape.

The new feeling was fear...fear of what the stupid ape was going to do to his lover and fear for the unborn child he was carrying.

He tried to reach out to the Doctor but only the static of his lovers despair and grief hissed in his mind...he must believe that he was dead. He heard the Doctor scream something but he couldn't hear what they were.

He crawled away, back into the palace...he needed to re-group and then...oh then he world tear this world apart looking for them.

* * *

White Coat knew good luck when he saw it and didn't waste time in leaving with his property.

His property was a mess and that would take time to sort out and now there was the added complication of his property bearing a child...well he couldn't have that.

It was something he would have to think on; but it came to his mind that a viable Time Lord embryo would be useful.

"Hold him still!" he barked as he produced a syringe with a way too long needle attached.

He paid no attention to the wide-eyed fear filled eyes of his property nor the scream of pain as he pushed the needle into his property's belly and withdrew a pale red liquid.

"Put it in containment and make sure it doesn't escape. I have work to do and do not wish to be disturbed."

He ignored the spitting snarling figure as it was dragged away; all his attention was on the precious contents of the syringe.

* * *

Jack kicked angrily at the door of the room that he and Ianto had been locked in.

Ianto watched as he vented his anger on the metal.

"There was nothing you could do," he said.

Jack whirled round and glared at Ianto. "What do you care, you would have killed him if I hadn't ordered you not to!"

Ianto face coloured and he stood up. "Yes I would. I'm not blinded by love, I can see what he's become!"

"What he's become?"

"He's a monster, just like the Master. He's not the Doctor anymore."

"He's not a monster, he's insane and the Master is using his illness to keep control."

Jack sat down heavily and put his head in his hands. "All I want is him back Yan, the real him and all of this will go away."

Ianto sat down again. "Even if you got him back Jack, it would never be the same. There would be a child...the Master's child. Changing everything back would kill it? Would he let you?"

Jack let out a sigh. "No, I don't think he would and that means only one thing..."

Ianto didn't say anything; he knew what Jack meant.

* * *

The Doctor hearts had nearly stopped when the bond with the Master was ripped away from him and he voiced it with a wail that hadn't been heard since the death of his own world.

He tried to fight as he was dragged away, but grief and paralysing fear of the man in front of him had rendered him next to useless.

His stomach roiled at the way White Coat's eyes had lit up when he realised he was pregnant and he couldn't fight the two men holding him still as that needle had gone into his stomach.

He cried out as the embryo inside convulsed in pain as the needle had drawn some of its precious blood.

That had been hours ago and he'd been in pain ever since... Rassilon, was he going to miscarry?

He curled up in a ball and mournfully reached out for a bond that was no longer there and tears flowed from his face and pooled onto the containment room floor.


	14. Chapter 14

Martha and Gwen had fully expected to die when they'd been marched into the arena with the President, so the explosion and the ensuing carnage although horrible were their saviours.

Gwen had grabbed Martha's hand and pulled her along and into the fleeing throng. However the weight of the crowd ripped Martha from Gwen's grip and they were swept along with the tide of panicking civilians.

Gwen managed to make her way to the edge of the tidal wave of humanity and climbed onto a wall and looked out and over the crowd, hoping to see Martha; but it was impossible to see one person in a mass of people.

She didn't like the idea of going back into the stampede, so she jumped down onto the path on the other side of the wall.

She'd only gone a few metres when she stopped sharply as uniformed men rounded the corner and there was nowhere for her to go.

* * *

Martha felt Gwen's had slip from hers and could do nothing as she was swept along by the crowd. She couldn't even turn as people pressed in on all sides.

She felt herself losing her balance and she knew that if she fell she would never get up. It was then that she felt hands on her back, and those hands began propelling her to the edge of the stampeding people.

It wasn't until they were safely on the side did she look at her rescuer and regretted it when she saw who it was.

* * *

White Coat had locked himself away in his lab. He cared not for the chaos that was now running riot...he had other to find the things that he wanted.

He was pleased that he had his property back but when he'd found out that it was bearing a child he was doubly pleased...now he would have something that would keep his property in line.

However until he could work out how to keep the foetus alive outside of the womb, it would have to remain invitrio...he would have to find another way of controlling his property.

His com buzzed and he sighed. "I said I didn't want to be disturbed."

He listened to the other person and then smiled. "Good, she will be useful."

* * *

The Master had managed to find his way out of the palace and was making his way through the ruined gardens.

He knew there was a shuttle hidden there and he would soon be re-united with his army and then he would wipe out the rebels for good.

But first he would find his lover and his child and rescue him from White Coat, whom he would tear to pieces with his bare hands.

He found the shuttle and was about to enter when it him...a wave of pain that seared through his mind.

It was the Doctor and he was broadcasting raw, un-tempered pain, misery and grief.

The Master let out a cry as the pain moved to his stomach...no, not the baby!

He steeled himself against the pain; he had to regain the bond with his lover. Closing his eyes, he gathered his strength and rode the feelings.

At first they burnt him like an uncontrolled fire and then...

* * *

The Doctor had fallen into a restless sleep, the exertions of the day finally taking its toll.

He woke suddenly as intense pain burnt through his midriff... then he felt something wet on his belly.

He looked down...blood!

He let out a cry of pure agony as the baby convulsed and although he knew his lover the Master was dead he poured all of his pain, misery, grief into a non-existent...no...wait...could it be?

It was faint at first and then to his disbelief a voice echoed in his head.

_"Master?"_

_"I'm here."_

_"I thought you were dead."_

_"I'm not that easy to kill, but don't worry about me. You're in pain."_

The Doctor's reply was full of worry and hurt. _"The baby...our son."_

The Master snarled when the Doctor sent an image of White Coat inserting the needle directly into their child.

_I'm scared...find me...please."_

_"Oh, I'll find you my love. I'll find you and then we can make this world pay."_

Another wave of pain seared through the Doctor and then the Master.

_"Hurry...I don't think I can...Rassilon!"_

The link between them was suddenly severed and all the Master could feel was the unfocused pain that the Doctor was broadcasting.

He got to his feet and pushed the pain to the back of his mind...he would find his army and he would use his lover's pain to find him...and then this world would truly suffer.


	15. Chapter 15

Jack and Ianto had stopped talking hours ago; what more could be said?

Ianto had tried to engage Jack in conversation, but he was locked away in whatever world he considered safe.

He knew that if they ever got out of here and if by some major miracle they managed to find and keep hold of the Doctor; the stakes had changed.

Ianto was about to follow Jack into a restless sleep when the sound of the door opening woke them both.

Jack stood and tensed when Matthew walked in. "What do you want?"

Matthew cleared his throat. "We have a problem."

* * *

Jack strode down the corridor, Ianto following a step behind.

"What do you mean gone?"

"We searched the whole palace, no body, nothing. It was clear shot, he should be deaed"

Jack knew the real reason why the Master had disappeared but how could you explain it to someone without making the situation worse.

"Then you couldn't have hit him."

"Or he was wearing a bullet-proof vest," Ianto put in. "He's not stupid, he knows he has enemies."

"It doesn't matter. If he's alive then all you've done is piss him off. He's going to come looking for the Lord Consort and I don't think he's coming alone. So tell me Matthew, what do you think he's going to do when he finds out what you've done?"

Matthew shook his head. "I thought I was doing the best thing, we needed his help. I didn't know...how is it possible that his pregnant? He's a man."

"This is the Master and the Lord Consort, they're capable of a lot of things...things you can't even dream off," Jack said. "Do you have any idea where White Coat's base is?"

Matthew nodded. "We think it's in the eastern corner of what was Los Angeles. We think he's converted the old sewer system into an underground base. But we've never been able to find an entrance."

* * *

Jack was about to reply when the sound of a scuffle caught their attention.

A voice with very familiar Welsh accent was using language that would have made a drill sergeant blush.

"It can't be...that's Gwen!" Ianto exclaimed and two soldiers came round the corner trying to hold one Gwen Cooper.

Jack turned to Matthew. "She's one our side."

Matthew nodded at the soldiers who let her go and she gave them a frosty glare as she moved to stand next to Jack.

"Still alive then," she said.

"Not that easy to kill me," he replied.

"Looks like the crap has hit the fan," she said.

"Looks like it. Are you up to a little search and rescue?" Jack said, turning to Gwen.

"If you mean getting the Doctor away from one madman and saving him from another, then yes. I'm sorry, I lost Martha in the crowd," she said, her voice tinged with sadness.

Jack drew her into a hug. "It's not your fault and you know Martha, she can look after herself."

* * *

Martha had tried to run when she recognised the man who had grabbed her hand; but he was too strong and she was dragged back to a waiting shuttle.

She was pushed into the back and she'd sat as far away as possible from the man who sat in the back. She knew where she was going and she was beginning to wish she'd died in that arena.

She allowed herself to be pulled out of the shuttle and dragged into what looked like the entrance to a sewer.

She wasn't surprised when it turned into a well lit passageway and there were people scurrying about their business.

She was stopped outside a set of ornate doors and she was pushed through when they opened.

She also wasn't surprised to see someone in a White Coat turn at their entrance.

"Ah, Doctor Jones, so glad you could join us. No time for pleasantries, I have need of your medical knowledge of Time Lords."

She knew that could only mean one person. "I won't help you in your sick experiments."

"Oh no Doctor Jones, leave that to me. I just need you to take care of his physical needs. There has been a slight... complication. Please let me show you."

She followed White Coat and tried not to look at what was going on inside the rooms and cells they were passing; but the sounds were enough to tell her that whoever it was inside was in a lot of pain.

They stopped outside one of the doors and White Coat swiped a card through a reader.

When they entered a person in a lab coat looked up.

"How is the subject?" White Coat asked.

"He hasn't moved for a while. We had to go in a treat him...there was some bleeding from what we think is a pouch similar to a marsupials."

"Was there any damage?"

"I'm not sure, I don't have enough knowledge and this is so out of my league, I wouldn't dare propose a theory."

White Coat smiled. "Quite right, Doctor Jones here does have such knowledge, you will assist her. Open the containment room."

* * *

There was a hiss as the door opened and a guard stepped in before Martha and the man in the lab coat stepped in.

It was dark inside and Martha wrinkled her nose at the smell of sweat and other things.

Then a snarl came out of the darkness and a figure hurled itself out of the dark and straight at Martha!


	16. Chapter 16

The figure never reached Martha as the crackle of electricity filled the air and the darkened room filled with electric blue.

"No!" Martha cried and with a flash of anger batted the soldier's arm away, causing him to drop the Taser.

But the damage was already done; the agonised screech that came from the figure told her that.

She whirled round and glared at White Coat, who was standing and watching impassively. "Keep doing that and there won't be anyone to experiment on!"

White Coat snapped his fingers and the guard retreated. "Do what you have to do Doctor Jones, but the guard will do what he has to do."

* * *

Martha waited until the guard and White Coat were out of the room. She turned to the man in the lab coat.

"Can we at least get some light in here!" she snapped.

The man scurried over to the door and the room was bathed in brilliant light and when Martha saw the state of the man she'd travelled with, her heart skipped a beat.

The Doctor was unconscious and a sheen of seat was covering his face. His skin was a sickly grey colour and his clothes were soaked with sweat, blood and ...other fluids.

Martha knelt down beside him. "Oh Doctor, how did you let it come to this!" she whispered as she gently undone the blood-stained shirt.

She inhaled sharply when she saw what was indeed very much like a pouch; although it was a shock, it wasn't that which concerned her.

The whole area was bruised and distended and there was crust dried blood and what could only be amniotic fluid around what looked like a slit in the pouch.

Disgusted, not by the fact that the Doctor was pregnant; nor by fact that somehow the Doctor and the Master had created a baby. No, she was disgusted by the treatment he'd received.

She turned on the man in the lab coat. "Call yourself a Doctor, you're no better than that white coated bastard. Now make yourself useful and get me what I need!"

She reeled off a list of items and waited until the man had left the room before turning back to the Doctor, who was now stirring.

"It's all right, I'm here," she said softly as he opened his eyes.

She held him tightly, expecting him to try and recoil from her. "No, don't move, you might injure yourself of your child more.

The Doctor looked up at her with wide frightened eyes and ceased his struggles.

Martha held back her own tears as she spoke. "I know you see me as an enemy and you think I'm going to hurt you. But I'm not like them," she said and moved her head towards the open door. "I only want what's best for you...and your baby. Will you let me help you?"

The Doctor looked up at her and she saw something behind the frightened eyes and she knew she'd won the first round and smiled when he nodded and relaxed into her arms.

"You have to help me here, cause' I have no clue about Time Lord pregnancies or babies. Is it the male that carries the child?"

The Doctor shook his head. " Forbidden."

Martha frowned. "Forbidden?"

"Forbidden," the Doctor whispered and his face crumpled as a wave of pain overtook him.

"The baby!" he gasped and tried to curl over. He heaved in a breath before speaking again. "Placental displacement...oxygen...starvation," he panted.

Martha may not have known anything about Time Lord pregnancies; but she knew that in a human that this was very serious, and that the only answer was for the baby to be removed and placed in a incubator; but she couldn't see that as forthcoming and she didn't know if the baby was even viable.

She placed a hand on the Doctor's heaving chest. "I'm sorry, without the right equipment, I can't help."

The Doctor tightened his grip on Martha's hand. "You must!" he breathed, "If...the baby...dies...he'll destroy...everything."

Martha knew who he meant and as much as she hated the Master, she wouldn't blame him if he did.

"I can't...I'm sorry."

The Doctor closed his eyes and tears began to flow down his ashen skin.

* * *

Martha couldn't wait for the lab-coated man to return. She looked up and shouted. "I know you can see and hear me, you bastard. If you want him and the baby alive, you better give me what I want. If you don't, they'll both die and then nothing is going to save you from what the Master will do!"

Her words must have done something as the door was flung wider and there was flurry of activity and the Doctor was moved from the containment room to a well equipped medical room.

She went into doctor mode and did what she had to do and only looked round when White Coat stepped in.

"Well?" was all he said.

She whipped round and her temper flared. "There's no difference between you and what the Nazi's did. I know what you think of him, he's just something you want to own. Well, here's a word of warning...I can't help him or the baby and I'll tell you now...if you think he was bad then you have no idea of what the Master is capable of. You've condemned his lover and his child to death. You want true madness...then you're going to get it."

* * *

The Master had finally reached the main bulk of his army and had rapidly set about whipping them into a vengeful frenzy. Now he was trying to work his way through the static that was his and his lover's bond.

When he did, his temper ran not hot but stone cold.

_"I can't hold on any more...the pain."_

_"You have to, I'm coming."_

_"I don't want to...our son...you have to..."_

The Doctor's voice was cut-off by a wave of pain that cut across the Master's guts.

The Master strengthened the bond between them and through it; he could just about feel the connection between his lover and his child.

He let out a snarl when he realised what was happening...their child, his son was dying.

With a roar or rage, he severed the connection and snarled at his surviving generals.

"Find White Coat's base and burn anything and anyone that gets in your way."


	17. Chapter 17

Jack had forgotten how much damage had been done to the whole planet. He looked out of the shuttle window and down and the ravaged Los Angeles...how many millions had died when the two crazed Time Lords had dropped a nuke.

They had flown across the ravaged state of California; no-one in their right mind would do otherwise...the life that existed down there, if you could call it life was distinctly hostile and god forbid cannibalistic.

He looked round when Gwen sat down opposite him and looked out of the window.

"Only someone as twisted as him could live down there," she shivered at the thought of being stranded in this particular hell.

She looked at Jack and narrowed her eyes. "Tell me Jack, if and I mean if you do get hold of the Doctor, what are you going to do with him. You know he's not the same, he's completely off his rocker, and what are you going to do about the pregnancy thing?"

* * *

The look Jack gave Gwen told her more than a thousand words could and she could see the agony of indecision in his eyes.

He let out a long sigh and rested his elbows on the table in front of him and buried his face in hands for a few seconds.

When he looked up his eye glistened with unshed tears.

"I don't know Gwen. I know what Matthew and his people want and I can't blame them. But they don't know what went on before...before this god awful paradox. I thought I could do it, back in the palace. I was this close to him Gwen," he said, holding a thumb and finger up to show her. "It would have been easy enough, a little too much sedative and it would have been over. But I couldn't, not because I love that man and god knows I do love him. I couldn't be sure if it would end this."

He looked at Gwen. "Tell me Gwen, will killing him end this? Will I be a murderer now there's a child involved. The Master and the Doctor may not be innocent, but that child is."

* * *

Gwen sat back and knew that her answer may not be the one he liked. "Any child born of those two is never going to be innocent. It'll be infected with the same madness, even before it's born. And who's to say they'd have stopped at one or with themselves? Imagine it Jack, a whole new race of Times Lords, all infected with the same sickness."

"You truly believe that?" Jack asked.

Gwen sighed. "If you'd have asked me before all this, when White Coat was just a far off nightmare and I'd never heard of the Master and the Doctor was this wonderful magical whirlwind that blew in and swept away our fears, then I might believe differently. But I'm not in love with that man and I can see why you are, so I don't have to deal with my heart. In your place I would have to choose Jack. Choose between the person I love and the whole of existence."

Jack buried his head in his hands again and Gwen could only sit in silence as her friend cried silent tears and wished to god that she could do it for him.

* * *

The Master was having trouble keeping his connection with the Doctor...he was slipping further and further away and that could only mean one thing and he wasn't having that.

The drumming in his head was getting louder and louder and his only relief was in danger of being lost to him.

He retired to his private cabin, giving orders not to disturb him until they reached the border of the Californian wastelands. He smiled at that, the memory of that day still fresh in his mind.

"Can I launch it, please?" the Doctor had whined.

The Master had felt generous that day and had decided to make California's end quick. "Oh, why not, just don't miss and hit Texas by mistake, oil is so dirty when it catches fire."

The Doctor had clapped his hands in delight and the Master was glad he'd indulged him that day...he'd had a very interesting and physically pleasing few weeks from that particular indulgence.

He lay down on his now too big bed and closed his eyes and once again tried to strengthen the bond...and when he couldn't find it he panicked.

_"Where are you, answer me?"_

He waited for a reply but was greeted by only silence and his hearts beat faster...he couldn't be? No, he would have felt it, all Time Lords did when one of them passed and bonded pairs even more so...that gut-wrenching soul destroying void that meant death.

His lover must be too weak to hold onto the bond, so the Master pushed further and let out a sigh of measured relief when he felt it.

It was weak, almost non-existent, a sliver of golden thread in the increasing darkness. He grabbed hold of and rode it until he found his lover.

The Master's eyes flew open...his lover had slipped down so far into the abyss. He spoke softly.

_"Where are you going?"_

_"Not far, the garden I think...it's warm."_

_"Don't go into the garden...stay."_

_"I can't...the garden is warm...I feel so cold."_

Then the connection was gone in a flash of blinding pain and the only thing the Master could hear was the drumming.

A knock on the door brought him round. "What is it!" he snapped, rage and pain burning through him.

"My Lord, we have reached California."

* * *

Martha eyes snapped open when the monitors began beeping wildly and she shot up...the Doctor was having a convulsion.

"No, no, no!" she cried and watched helplessly as he arched his back until she was sure she heard bone cracking...knowing she could do nothing but watch.

An eternity seemed to pass before the convulsion started to calm and eventually stop.

Martha moved closer and began to examine him. She went to touch the pouch when a hand caught her pony-tail.

"What do you think you're doing?" the Doctor snarled with unfocused eyes and started to sit up.

Martha ignored the pain and used her other hand to put pressure on the wrist of the hand that wasn't holding her hair.

"Doctor, I am trying to help you, now let go of my hair before his guard does it more painfully."

A spark of something, possibly a painful memory caused the Doctor to lessen his grip on Martha's hair.

A wave of pain made him lose his grasp completely and he collapsed back onto the bed.

"See, you have to lie still, you're child's placenta is detached and any movement will tear it completely. If you want any chance of keeping this child Doctor, lie still!"

The Doctor scowled at her. "Don't call me that, only my Lord calls me that. If you have to call me something, call me Lord Consort."

"I will not!" Martha snorted. "You're as much a prisoner as I am. Face it your Highness, you and your baby are White Coat's property now."

"My Lord will find me...I know he will. I'll kill myself before I let him touch me or my baby."

Martha said nothing as she saw a tear trail down the Doctor's cheek.


	18. Chapter 18

The Doctor wiped away the tears that had threatened to come and laid back...he would rather kill himself than let that ape that thought he was his property touch him and his child.

It was only a rush of anger that had allowed him the strength to grab the hair of the human treating him. It had surprised him to find it was Martha Jones and her reaction to him had puzzled him.

Why was she treating him? Why should she care? He had after all tried to do things to her; shouldn't she be harming him or helping White Coat?

All these questions buzzed around his head like so many insects; it was the only thing he had the strength for. He knew he was on the downward spiral to death, following his child into the hereafter, but rather death than live in hell.

Yes, he told the human that his lover, his Isnari would find him, but that was just false bravado. The damage to his child had been done when the soldier had struck him and its fate was sealed.

It would not have mattered if the child was not yet formed, but it was and he had already bonded with it unconsciously before they knew it had succeeded; so he had no choice but to follow his child.

He closed his eyes and reached out to his unborn son.

* * *

When he opened them again, he found himself sitting on the grass in the private garden just outside their quarters.

He looked round when he heard footsteps.

A young man was walking towards him, he was tall and moved with a grace born of birth rather than training.

"I thought I'd find you here," the young man said in a voice that sounded very much like his own.

He looked at the young man and knew that it was his son. He could see the resemblance, the fine features that were the mark of this particular regeneration, even the quirk of an eyebrow as the young man stopped beside him.

He had his father's hair, short and neat, unlike his own unruly mop and the tilt of his chin as he stared up at the sun was so like the Master.

"Just enjoying the sun are we?" he said as sat down beside him. "You know you shouldn't be here?"

He looked at his son then and a frown creased his brow. "It's not fair, you'll never grow up to be the man that you're meant to be. You are so beautiful."

His son placed a hand on his shoulder. "Life often isn't, but that doesn't mean you have to give up. You of all people father should know that some things are not meant to be and some things can be changed."

A cold breeze ruffled both father and son's hair. "It's getting colder and it'll be dark soon and the gates will be shut. You have to choose father and choose soon."

The sun dropped below the trees and the Doctor found himself back in the medical room. He let out a huge sob and didn't stop the tears.

Desolation and despair filled his hearts and his soul and he howled in silent grief as he felt his child slip further away.

* * *

Call it bad timing or the cruelty of fate, but at the same time White Coat entered the medical room.

The first thing he saw was his property, who was now sitting up and rocking back and forth, tears streaming down its face.

He scowled. "That is quite enough," he said and motioned to the two guards who moved over to the bed and began dragging his property from it.

Martha was coming out of a side room and when she saw what was happening she rushed over and tried to get in their way.

"What the hell do you think you're doing!"

She was shoved aside and landed awkwardly and could only sit and watch as the Doctor was dragged from the bed.

White Coat stood and waited as the two guards dragged his property over to him.

"Enough of the tears, you may be carrying a child, but you are not a woman. Take it to my own laboratory."

He turned to Martha who was only just getting up.

"I thank you for your outstanding work Doctor Jones, you will be handsomely rewarded."

Those words jolted the Doctor from his self-induced grief...rewarded?

He knew it, her kindness was just an act, designed to drag him back from the brink.

"Bitch!" he screamed. "He'll skin you alive for this and I'll nail you're hide to my bedroom wall!"

Martha could only watch as he was dragged away and all she could hear was the screams of the Doctor. When the screams had faded, she collapsed onto the bed and wept; her only chance of saving the Doctor from White Coat, the Master and himself was gone, he would never trust her again.

* * *

Jack had dozed off, but it wasn't a peaceful sleep. It was full of images of his and the Doctor's past. The first time he'd met him, leather jacket and all ears and attitude; gas masks, Slitheen and Daleks.

The Year That Would Never Be but had still happened; all of it ran through his mind. He was jolted out of it by Ianto shaking him.

"Wake up Jack, we're landing."

Jack came fully awake then, they were as near to LA as they could get and he couldn't afford to think about the Doctor; he had to think about surviving the city.

The little group watched as the shuttle took off and disappeared into the sunset. Night was coming and they had to find shelter; things came out at night.

* * *

The next thing the Doctor knew was waking up and finding himself chained to a table. He felt woozy from whatever they'd given him and he wasn't quite sure of where he was.

Then he felt it and his eyes widened in fear...he didn't have to look down, he knew.

He snapped his head up and saw White Coat holding something wrapped up in a cloth.

His howl of grief and terror and rage echoed through the tunnels, making those close enough to hear stop what they were doing.

* * *

The Master was scanning the darkening horizon when it hit him; a wall of grief and rage like he'd never felt before.

He physically staggered as his lover howled in his mind and an image flashed burnt through him of a man in a White Coat and a small bundle that could only be one thing.

He let out his own howl, not of grief or pain, but of rage, pure unadulterated, incandescent rage.

He turned to his startled generals. "Whoever you find, kill them all..no mercy."

_**Translation- Isnari- soul-mate**_


	19. Chapter 19

Jack stood at the shattered window of the derelict building. He was on high alert as shadows flitted between the buildings opposite...hungry shadows.

He only glanced to his left when Matthew moved to stand next to him. "They're getting closer, they never used to be this bold."

"They never used to be this hungry," Jack replied. "Anyone who hasn't got an army with them is easy meat or mad."

"Then what does that make us?" Matthew said.

Jack let out a small laugh, but didn't answer.

Matthew looked out of the window into the dark. "If we do manage to rescue the Lord Consort..." he stopped when Jack looked at him.

"Don't call him that, that's not who he is."

Matthew turned and looked at Jack. "I heard rumours and I thought they were just propaganda about The Lord Master and his consort, about them not being human. Tell me Jack, is it true?"

Jack said nothing at first and then nodded. "They come from a race called Time Lords, they're the last of their species...well they were until today."

Matthew let out a long breath. "That would explain the cruelty, why they called us stupid apes. Then it doesn't matter if they die."

Jack snapped then and grabbed hold of Matthew's jacket and hauled him up to his face. "Do you think that because they're not human gives you the right to let them die?"

Matthew to his credit wasn't cowed by Jack's anger. "Why do you care so much?"

Jack let go of his jacket and stepped back. "Do you really want to know?"

Matthew straightened his jacket and nodded. "Convince me to keep them alive."

* * *

Jack slid down the wall and stared out of the window and began talking and Matthew just sat and listened.

"So, let me get this straight, all of this, this hell shouldn't exist, it's a splinter off the true time line and the Lord Con...the Doctor I mean caused it by going completely loony and joining up with another loony Time Lord called the Master, and I've just given your Doctor to another loony called White Coat who along with your team called Torchwood can remember what it was before. And if I'm to believe all this you can't die and you can punch me if you like, but you're in love with this Doctor and want him back."

"That about sums it up," Jack said.

Matthew shook his head. "If it didn't sound so complicated I'd think you were a crazy as this Doctor of yours. But I'm not crazy and it all makes sense to me now...to change all this you need to make an insane Time Lord sane. Tell me Jack Harkness, will I cease to exist, will all of this, the genocide, the destruction, everything that happened just disappear?"

"I won't lie," Jack said. "Everyone you know or knew or lost will either change or disappear. Children born after will have never been born."

"And no-one will remember?"

"No...well almost everyone."

"You mean you, the Doctor, the Master, your team and White Coat?"

"Pretty much, it will be as if nothing has happened. Whatever you were doing before it changed, you'll be doing when it goes back."

Matthew straightened. "So all we have to do is get the Doctor, who may well kill you as kiss you away from a mad scientist and then keep him away from another alien who is as loony tune as he is. That's all well and good, but we won't be doing anything but roasting over a fire if they have their way," Matthew said.

Jack looked in the direction and saw what had been shadows turn into real and dangerous cannibals.

* * *

The Master willed the transporter to go faster and wished he had the TARDIS, but the stubborn machine wouldn't let him or the Doctor near it, much to their chagrin.

It would be too dark soon to travel and they would have to set up a fortified encampment. He really would have to clear this state of the freaks and degenerates and do something about the radiation; it wouldn't do to have the new Time Lord race living in a radioactive wasteland.

But before his ideal society could become fact he had to find and save the Doctor. It might be too late to save the child he was carrying but after a suitable time for mourning, they could try again.

Once again he reached out to his lover but he was rebuffed by the wash of emotion that his lover was still projecting..._anger...hate... fear...grief and helplessness._

All he could do was send out his own soothing emotion..._calm...peace...patience._

He felt the transporter stop and knew that there would be no more travelling. He retired to his quarters and tried to sleep. He instinctively reached out for the slender form of his lover, but found only cold.

He sat up and shivered at the reality that he had fallen for his enemy, just as he had all those years ago back on Gallifrey.

When he found the Doctor and he would find him, he would never let him out of his sight and if that meant he would never cure him of the insanity that was slowly killing him, then he would.

* * *

Jack was running and trying to keep an eye on their pursuers. It wasn't easy in the dark and every shadow could be a threat.

"Move!" he was yelling to the figures fleeing ahead of him.

He could hear the growls and snarls of their pursuers behind; they were closing on them. He knew that if they didn't escape everyone would be the next meal.

With a final "Keep running!" he stopped turned and faced the ever closing cannibals.

With a snarl the lead cannibal rushed head long and barrelled into Jack and they both went down.


	20. Chapter 20

Jack landed on his back with the lead cannibal already trying to sink his teeth into his neck. With a grimace he wrapped his hands around the cannibals head and twisted, the crack of a breaking neck silenced the growls.

Knowing he'd only have seconds before another tried its luck, he heaved the body away and was scrambling to his feet when the second cannibal attacked, but never made contact as it fell to the ground a gaping hole where it's stomach use to be.

It didn't stop the others; hunger overrode any fear of death.

Another fell as it lost a leg and was immediately set upon by its fellows.

Jack steeled his stomach and finally made it to his feet. Unfortunately it attracted the attention of those that were unable to get to the fallen cannibal and they began advancing on Jack, slowly, wary of being killed.

Jack began backing away as turning your back was certain death. He had no idea where the shots had come from as the others were no doubt safe somewhere.

One cannibal made a move but was cut down by another shot and this time Jack did turn and began running in the direction he thought the shots were coming from. He slowed his pace when he realised the cannibals weren't following.

His mind turned to who fired those shots and his answer was forthcoming when Matthew stepped out of the shadows.

"I told you to run," Jack said.

Matthew smiled. "Couldn't let them have you for breakfast, dinner and supper. It's no way for anyone to go. But I think we should go. It won't take them long to smell out live meat."

Jack smiled grimly and followed Matthew as he weaved his way through the ruined buildings, leaving the cannibals to their meal.

* * *

Martha walked down the corridor and couldn't believe that no-one questioned her as she pushed the door to the area the Doctor was being held. Perhaps they thought she was no threat and they could be right.

But she was going to try and make amends; the Doctor had to know she hadn't betrayed him, even if in his insanity he hated her.

The room he was in was darkened except for a small light that illuminated the Doctor.

Martha didn't need to be a doctor to see that someone had performed surgery on him and in the worst place. She had no doubt as to who it was, no decent surgeon would leave a patient covered in blood and other fluids and she had no idea what he was doing with the foetus.

She stepped over to the still form of the Doctor, expecting him to be unconscious; but to her horror he was wide awake and his face was streaked tears and blood stain and he was in pain.

She jumped when he spoke.

"I know you're there Martha Jones, I can smell you and if you want to live I would stay away. Come to gloat over your fallen ruler?" he growled.

Martha knew she couldn't be baulked by his aggression and she stepped into the light. "I know you think I betrayed, but you're wrong. I hate that man as much as you do."

The Doctor cut across her words. "You have no idea of what hate is!" he hissed. "Has he taken your child, ripped it from your womb!" he reared up, well as far as his restraints would let him. "Give me one reason why I should trust you?"

Martha bit her lip and took a huge risk. She moved up until she was level with the Doctor's face and risked placing a hand on his face.

"Because I was and still am your friend."

The Doctor jerked his head away. "No stupid ape is a friend of mine."

Martha took a deep breath. "Then tell me this, if I'm not a friend how do I know this..." she started speaking, the words pouring out of her, all her adventures and all the things that had gone on since she'd left.

"Tell me Doctor, how would I know these things if I hadn't lived them?"

She heard the door opening behind her and knew her time was up and as the guards grabbed her she shouted.

"You know me and all of this is not supposed to happen!"

* * *

The Doctor had finally stopped crying; it wouldn't do any good to weep for something that was now lost. Instead he let hate burn through him, red hot and hungry for revenge.

He'd heard the door open and knew who it was; he could smell...traitorous bitch! If he wasn't restrained he would drag her until he found the nearest sharp instrument and flay her alive himself.

A wave of pain passed over him as she approached and he growled a warning at her; but the foolish human still approached.

She tried to tell him that she hated White Coat; she didn't know the meaning of hate. He would show her hate; it was coursing through his blood, white hot and waiting to be released.

Then she had the nerve to say that she had been and was his friend; she must be delusional, him a friend with a stupid simian.

He was about to speak again when she touched him and something akin to sparks fired in his brain and he was mute. Then she began to speak and say things that seemed impossible to him. Stories about Carrionites and Shakespeare, Genetic Manipulation Devices and someone called Lazarus. She spoke of Daleks in New York and Pig Men...they were like his dreams; but they were just dreams, right?

He was about to speak when the door opened and two guards began dragging Martha away and her last words echoed in his ears...his dreams were just dreams, weren't they?

He never got chance to think on as White Coat came into view and anything Martha had said was lost to intense rage.

He snarled and tried to reach for White Coat, who smiled and produced a large syringe and plunged it into his empty womb once more.

"Just a little more, so I can reproduce it. I must say, the genetic manipulation you used to make this possible is most fascinating. Once you come to accept you belong to me once more, you will show me how you did it."

The Doctor would have spat in his face but the pain as White Coat drew of more of the fluid that was left and pain burnt through him like white hot lava and unable to bear it any more he passed out.

* * *

The Master awoke with a cry as pain shot through him. He searched for the bond between himself and the Doctor and images poured into his head in a jumble of pictures, words and emotions.

He shook his head and severed the link and tired to sort out the confusion. He narrowed his eyes as he saw an image of Martha Jones; she was speaking but he couldn't hear the words.

Then he saw him and once again he was causing his lover pain and once more he felt impotent; unable to help him, unable to stop his pain...oh how he wished he could reach out and slowly choke the life out of White Coat.

Now he had seen Martha Jones, it made sense to him that one Jack Harkness would not be far behind...this was turning into a race as to who would reach him first.

It was a race he was determined to win.


	21. Chapter 21

Martha had protested loudly when the guards had thrown her into the small cell; how could she help the Doctor stuck in here? She'd seen what White Coat was carrying as she was dragged away and she knew what he was about to do; but there was nothing she could do.

She thought she saw a spark of something in the Doctor's eyes, or was she imagining it. Had her words sunken in or was that just her own hope. The threat to her had been real enough; she didn't doubt that in his current mental state he would have no problem killing her.

But her chance had gone and now all she could do was hope that her words had done something.

* * *

The Master had finally had enough of waiting and now his soldiers were methodically carving a path through the ruins of Los Angeles and the body count was growing at an alarming rate.

Even the Master was surprised by the amount of freaks there were; not to mention the humans that had turned to cannibalism to survive. He really would have to cleanse this area properly.

His personal transporter had stopped as they had approached what was once the cities flood defences.

The bulk of his army were waiting for his specialist troops to clear a path; then he would lead them into the sewers and find the Doctor and his child and when he had done that he would personally enjoy taking White Coat apart piece by piece.

He'd tried unsuccessfully to regain contact with his lover. All he got was a red wall of pain and anger. He smiled and a thought came to him; his lover was very good at hunting people.

That would be very entertaining, let the Doctor hunt White Coat.

Although he couldn't speak to his lover, he could send out a wave of emotions and words in the hope that he would hear them.

One of his generals walked up to him and saluted. "My Lord, the tunnels are clear."

"Good, let's wake them up, shall we?"

* * *

Jack had spent an uncomfortable and disturbed night. One of Matthew's scouts had come back and had said that a large military force was sweeping through the city and killing everything in sight.

His report was substantiated when the sound of gunfire rolled around the ruins. They'd retreated deeper into the ruined building, hiding from the cannibal and now what was no doubt the Master's army.

He looked round when Gwen shuffled over to the shattered window.

"What are we going to do, we can't stay here forever?"

"Well, we can't take the Master on, but I have an idea."

* * *

The look Matthew gave Jack said it all. "You want to ride the Lord Master's coat tail, are you mad?"

They were looking down on a vast encampment that was sat just outside the entrance to a large sewer. They could see the Master's own retinue in the middle of it and it was tempting to everyone to just slip in and try their luck at killing.

Jack knew his idea sounded insane, but it made sense to him. "Why not? Let his troops do the hard work and then we can slip in unnoticed and find the Doctor while everyone else is busy."

Matthew shook his head but agreed. "I think you're crazy but I can't see any other way. We'd never get in on our own."

"Then it's settled, we wait until they attack and then we move."

As it happened, they only had to wait until sunrise.

A huge explosion shook the ground and the Master's forces moved.

* * *

The Doctor woke slowly and his world was filled with the pain in his abdomen. It was matched by the ache in his hearts...his child had been ripped from him and was now in the hands of someone who would cut and probe and do Rassilon knows what.

He tried to regain the bond he'd had with his child, but there was nothing, just the darkness and the silence.

He felt tears start to well again and he forced them back...he was not going to cry; it only made him seem weak. So he concentrated on trying to regain the connection between himself and the Master.

The connection was faint and the golden thread was almost non-existent and the effort was given him a headache; so he left it and turned instead to what Martha Jones had said to him.

Could she be speaking the truth? He shook his head; believe your isnari, they were just nightmares. But then how could she know of his nightmares? Perhaps one of the household staff had listened in on their conversations.

Yes, that was it...oh she was a very good actress; well two could play at that game. He had to get out of this place, find his child, if he could and get back to the Master.

He took a deep breath with all of his might he let out a screech of agony.

The monitors attached to him began beeping manically and he knew he wouldn't have long to wait as seconds later the guard rushed in and up to the now writhing patient.

Wait...wait...now, and with Time Lord speed he grabbed hold of the guard and with no remorse snapped the guard's neck.

He ripped the wires and tubes from his arm and tried to stand.

The pain from his abdomen almost floored him on and he had to grab hold of the exam table he'd been on.

He'd managed to haul himself upright and was about to take a step forward when the ground underneath his feet shifted.

He grimaced with pain as he tried to steady himself and then he felt it...the Master, he was coming for him.


	22. Chapter 22

The Master waited until the smoke from the explosion had almost dissipated before moving into the tunnel. He could hear gunfire in the distance; battle had been joined.

He knew he had superior numbers and there was nothing humans loved more than a good old-fashioned crusade, whipped up of course by him.

He moved down the body strewn tunnel with his chosen elite guards with only two intentions; find the Doctor and his child and then find White Coat and torture him to death.

He neither cared nor was bothered how many humans had to die to achieve it, they breed like proverbial rabbits.

"Captain, split the men into pairs, this place is too big to search together. Fine White Coat and I'll find the Lord Consort."

"Yes, my Lord," the captain answered and saluted before barking out orders and his guard began peeling off.

The Master once again tried to connect with the Doctor but still there was nothing but pain and anger...this really wouldn't do; how could he found a new Time Lord empire if he couldn't find the one thing he need to found it?

"This really is getting tedious," he said as he walked down the tunnel and smiled when he spied a computer terminal. "Ah, a shortcut."

* * *

Jack motioned for Ianto to come forward. He pointed to a set of desks.

"That looks like a computer terminal. We need to find where he's keeping the Doctor. There are miles of tunnels and we don't have the time to search them, do you think you can get into the system?"

Ianto nodded. "I'll try."

Jack placed a hand on Ianto's shoulder. "Good man, we'll cover your ass."

Jack watched as Ianto scurried over to the terminals and had to sit on one the chairs. Several anxious minutes later Jack sighed with relief when Ianto scurried back.

"The best bet would be this tunnel. There's a set of labs and holding cells that are marked as Authorised Access Only. I'm betting that's White Coat's private labs."

"Well done Yan," Jack said and gave him a quick kiss on the head before leading off down the tunnels, closely followed by the others.

They'd only gone a few feet when Jack held up a hand and then gave a hasty retreat signal.

They bolted for the safety of a stack of containers but were a few seconds too late as bullets bit into the dirt around their feet making them dive for any cover.

Jack whirled and lay down what he hoped was covering fire and only dived for the floor when bullets whipped round his head and bit chunks out of the tunnel wall.

He landed next to Matthew who was trying to turn, but was hindered by Gwen who had landed awkwardly.

"Who the hell are they!" Jack yelled.

"Elite guards!" Matthew yelled back. "They won't give up. They're programmed to keep going until they run out of life or they kill you. There's only one way to get past them!"

Matthew suddenly freed himself from Gwen and was up on his feet. "Fine him Jack, end this," he said.

Before Jack could yell no or grab him, Matthew was charging down the corridor, firing his weapon and disappearing round the corner.

There was a sharp staccato of gunfire and then there was silence.

Jack was galvanised by the silence and hissed to the others. "Move!"

With a heavy heart and a vow to make the Master pay for another death, Jack drove the others forward and towards a meeting that was going to be very unpleasant.

* * *

The Doctor tried to stand but another wave of pain rolled through him and he fell to his knees. He let out a cry of frustration; he was never going to get to the Master if this continued.

He tried again but was once again driven to his knees...screw this he thought and began crawling on his hands and knees. He managed to get to the double door at the end of the corridor, but was now exhausted.

He rested against the door and closed his eyes, trying to will the pain away...and then he heard it or thought he did...it was a baby's cry.


	23. Chapter 23

The baby's cries were insistent and at an intensity that no mother could ignore; even a Time Lord who wasn't physically female.

The pain in his abdomen was like hot knives, but something urged him to move. He grabbed hold the door and hauled himself up, a pain filled whimper escaped his lips as he tried to straighten.

He made is a few yards before the pain made him sink to his knees again...he didn't have the energy.

The baby's cry had become a full blown wail and the maternal instinct really kicked in and he began crawling towards the sound.

He could see the door up ahead and forced himself forward; every move making his whole body almost curl up in pain.

He fell through the door more than crawled through it and the baby's wailing increased in decibels.

With a supreme effort he stood, but what he saw almost floored him again.

"No, no, no," he moaned in no more than a whisper...it was a baby...his baby, wired and attached to some kind of machine.

He staggered over and frowned...how could this be his baby? It was too large to be premature, it looked a couple of months old and it didn't feel right.

Then a feeling of utter dread came over him...this wasn't his baby anymore...it wasn't Time Lord anymore...it was human and it was dying!

* * *

The Master had made good progress along the tunnel and he was only a few hundred yards from the place he wanted when he heard footsteps and looked frantically round for somewhere to hide...but there was nowhere.

Voices carried down the tunnel but the footsteps had stopped, but the Master could hear every word.

"How much longer can we hold out...the subject is too fragile to move."

"They say about an hour if that. I told you it wasn't possible to alter DNA without consequences. I looked at the last tests, it's dying and I can't do anything, he's not going to be pleased, but you can't tell him anything."

The voices faded along with the footsteps and the Master breathed again ...he was so near his goal now; he could almost taste it.

He reached the door and let out a snort of derision at the security pad and burnt it out with his laser screwdriver and stepped inside.

The wave of absolute despair hit him like a tidal wave and he was glad of the doors support as he staggered back...it was coming off his lover in waves and he didn't need to search for him anymore.

He approached the room and heard an unbelievable sound...a child's wailing cry.

With his hearts pounding with nerves and expectation he opened the door and stopped and his hearts dropped.

* * *

His lover was curled up against what looked like an incubator and was matching the baby with his own wailing cry.

The Master was over in an instant and was divided on whether he should see to the child or his lover first. His hearts won out and he went down on his haunches and spoke softly to him.

"Don't cry my love, our son is alive and I'm here to take you home."

The answer he got wasn't one he expected.

"That's not our son," the Doctor whispered.

The Master frowned. "Of course he's our son." He looked up at the child. "He even looks like you."

"It's not our son!" the Doctor snarled.

"Don't say that."

"Look at him, really look at him Inari...tell me what you see."

The Master stood up and looked closer at the child which had ceased crying. It had a shock of dark hair and already had the fine features of the Doctor...no that couldn't be it? The baby was rather big, even for a Time Lord child...no that couldn't be it?

Then what?

He decided to try and link with his son and then he knew why the Doctor had said it. He stepped back a look of shock and disgust on his face.

"Human DNA!" he spat. "How can it be?"

"He did it," the Doctor sobbed. "He ripped him from me and tore him apart and...and...he's dying."

The Master blinked and looked at the bank of monitors; the child was dying and even if it was still Time Lord, there was nothing he could do.

He sank down next to the Doctor on the floor and wrapped his arms around the Doctor.

"I'm sorry, but you know what we have to do."

The Doctor stiffened in his arms. "No, please Inari, he's still our son...we can't."

"He's dying beloved and it's not right to let him suffer. I'm many things, but I can't let a child of ours suffer."

The Doctor let out a guttural groan and nodded. "Can we at least name him?"

The Master sighed; it was an old Gallifreyan tradition, an unnamed child could not pass into the hereafter without a name.

"Okay, do you have a name?"

The Doctor nodded and with the Master's help managed to stand.

He picked up the child who looked at him with dark brown eyes full of wonder.

"He's beautiful," the Master said.

The Doctor held the baby close to his chest and let out a shuddering breath when it snuggled against him and tears fell unbidden.

"I name you Iskar so that you may be known in the hereafter and pass the Gates of Life."

The Master breathed in sharply, Iskar meant First of the Beloved and was normally given to the first born, one of what would have been many.

"Iskar, it's a wonderful name," the Master whispered and kissed Iskar's forehead.

The Doctor held Iskar tightly as the Master reached over and flicked the off switch and bowed his head as his child let out a startled cry and then fell silent and the room was filled with the tears of his lover as he mourned his child then laid him back on the table.

They both whirled round when someone clapped slowly.

White Coat was standing at the door with two guards.

"How moving...now move away from my property?"

* * *

The Master snarled and with a bellow of rage hurled himself at White Coat but never reached him as an arc of light shot out and hit the Master square in the chest and he fell to his knees.

The pain was excruciating and...Rassilon, his hearts were burning.

White Coat walked over to the stricken Time Lord and whispered in ear.

"It's surprisingly easy to kill a Time Lord isn't it?"

The Master looked up at White Coat and tried to rise but his world was going dark and the last thing he heard as he died was the screams of the Doctor.


	24. Chapter 24

The Doctor screamed the Master's name as he fell to the floor. He felt the bond between them being torn away and it ripped at his hearts.

He managed to find, and Rassilon knows where from the strength to crawl over to his now dead lover.

He cradled him in his arms and waited...waited for the first signs of regeneration. He frowned...there was nothing.

Then the cold reality hit him...the Master wasn't regenerating.

"No, no, no...Inari, please regenerate!" he cried, shaking the already cooling body. "Regenerate!

* * *

White Coat let out a bored breath and stepped over to the still screaming Doctor and slapped him across the face.

The blow unbalanced the Doctor and he fell against the table which toppled over and spilled his child's body onto the floor.

"Enough of the tears!" White Coat snapped.

The two guards picked up the table and dumped the dead child back on it.

White Coat went to touch the body of the Master, but the Doctor snarled and leapt forward.

"Don't you dare touch him!"

White Coat hesitated, a little unnerved by the ferocity of his property and gestured to the two guards who hauled the Doctor up.

He nudged the Master's body with a foot. "Hmm, wasn't sure if that was going to work. It seems all those hours of experimenting on you have paid off."

He looked over at the body of the child. "A shame my experiments on the child were not as successful. Oh well, at least I still have you...one out of three is acceptable. Time to leave I think."

He turned away from the Master and the child's body and the weeping Doctor.

He only made it a few steps before the door burst open.

* * *

Jack and the others had made good time down the tunnel, spurred on by the sacrifice of Matthew.

They only slowed when they approached the doors to White Coat's private laboratories, which were now wide open.

They all froze when they heard what sounded like crying echoing down the long tunnel.

Jack gestured for them to stay and walked slowly through the door and disappeared into the semi-darkness.

He stopped outside the first room but found it was empty...then he spotted the blood. There was a large pool of it by an exam table and there was a trail of it leading away from it and out of the door; he didn't have to guess whose blood it was.

He followed the trail and found several bloody handprints and his concern ratcheted up a few notches.

He heard murmured words and stopped...that sounded like...it couldn't be?

He froze when he heard footsteps and rushed back to the empty room and hid in the shadows, hoping that the others had been able to hide.

He started when he heard a familiar voice...White Coat!

"Are you sure it was him?"

"Yes sir."

"How fortunate, it seems the family is together again."

Jack blended further into the shadows as White Coat and two guards swept past. After a few moments he moved and followed.

Then he heard what sounded like the crackle of electricity and then the screaming began. He followed the sound of the screams and ended up outside a set of doors with two small windows.

He chanced a look and he froze...anger warring with horror at the scene inside.

The Doctor was being dragged away from the Master who was lying in a crumpled heap on the floor.

Behind him Jack could see what looked like the body of a child and about to turn away was the cause of all of Jack's heartache for the last year.

Rage finally overran his horror and taking a step back he raised and foot and kicked the door in.

He charged in and fired his weapon at the same time, killing the two guards who had dropped the Doctor in surprise and were reaching for their own weapons.

Jack dropped his weapon and with a snarl launched himself at White Coat.

* * *

Gwen was fidgeting; it had been ages since they'd had to hide.

When they'd heard a voice they both recognised they'd moved further into the shadows.

They had just calmed a little when the screaming had started; it was a scream that both Ianto and Gwen recognised, full of pain and loss and grief.

Then there had been gunfire and then silence.

"Right, that's it, I'm going in," Ianto said and drew his hand-gun.

"Hang on, do you hear someone shouting?" Gwen said.

"That sounds like Martha," Ianto replied.

They looked at each other and moved in the direction of the shouts.

They came to a room at the end of a tunnel and saw someone at a set of bars...it was Martha.

They ran over and tried the door but it was locked.

Gwen rummaged in her pocket and produced what looked like putty and some small metal objects.

Ianto looked at them then at her. "How the hell did you get hold of plastique?"

Gwen smiled and pushed the detonators into the putty and produced a small box. "Never mind, Martha move to the back of the cell."

She dragged Ianto back to the corner and pushed the trigger.

A small explosion billowed out smoke and some rubble and the pair ran forward.

Martha stepped through the dust, coughing and wiping her eyes.

She hugged the pair and was about to speak when the world changed.

* * *

Jack took White Coat to the ground, hoping to knock the wind from him, but he was disappointed.

White Coat was stronger and more agile than he looked.

Jack found himself under White Coat and in danger of being throttled and he didn't like the smile on his face.

"It's a shame you can't die, but it will still be satisfying to kill you," White Coat growled.

Jack was only just keeping the pressure of White Coat hands off his throat. He was desperate to finish this and attend to the Doctor, who he could hear weeping somewhere to his left.

He found his strength was failing and his world was darkening, then he heard what sounded like electricity crackling.

His world turned electric blue and he felt more than saw White Coat stiffen and his weight shift from him.

Using whatever advantage had been given to him he rolled away and got to his hands and knees and looked over to where they'd been fighting and stilled.

* * *

The room was still filled with electric blue and the cause of it was the Doctor who was holding some sort of device against a twitching and obviously dead White Coat.

He was screaming something in Gallifreyan, but Jack didn't need a translation, their meaning was clear.

He was frozen for a moment, shocked at was he was seeing; he'd never seen the Doctor kill anyone with his own hand.

He came to his senses and shook himself; this had to stop.

He stood and wobbled slightly and staggered over to the surreal scene. He grabbed the arm that was holding out the device and pulled it away from White Coat, who dropped like the dead body he was.

He used his other hand to wrench the device from the Doctor's hand.

"Enough," he said. "Enough."

The Doctor whirled round and snarled. "No!" and made a grab for the device.

Jack pushed him away with ease and threw the device out into the corridor and out of the Doctor's reach.

The Doctor came for him again but this time Jack caught him and held him fast.

"Enough, Doctor," he whispered into the Doctor's hair.

He realised it was a mistake to call him that when the Doctor stiffened in his arms and with strength Jack thought he didn't have.

"Don't call me that, only he can call me that!" he yelled.

Jack didn't stop him as he moved over to the table that held the dead child and picked it up nor did he see him pick up a syringe from the table.

He did move when the Doctor went to kneel by the Master's body, but a warning growl from him stopped Jack in his tracks.

He stepped back a pace, knowing he should be allowed to grieve but also wanting to take him away and mending this broken soul.

He watched as the Doctor knelt by the body of the Master and laid the child next to him and spoke quietly; so quietly that Jack had to strain to hear his words.

"This was your father Iskar and no matter what you would have heard if you had lived, he was loving and gentle but harsh when he had to be. But that doesn't matter now, because where we are going reputations don't matter and we'll be together forever."

The words took a few second to sink in and by the time Jack could react it was too late.

The Doctor plunged the syringe into his chest and a second later slumped over the body of his child and his lover.

"No! Jack cried and as he stepped forward the world began changing again and he fell to his knees as pain overtook him and he blacked out.

* * *

What seemed ages later he came round and found himself not in that room but back in the smoke filled corridor of...the paradox, it had been broken!

Fear then clutched at his heart and forcing himself up he began running, leaving a startled and concerned Ianto behind.

The feeling of dread increased as the shape of the TARDIS came into view.

The door was open but there was no light coming from inside and but that wasn't what his focus on.

His focus was on the one thing.

Sprawled on the floor and showing no sign of life was the Doctor.


	25. Chapter 25

Jack fought down his rising panic and went into medic mode. He knelt down next to the fallen Time Lord and placed his fingers against the side of his neck...no pulse.

Next check...he placed his ear to the Doctor's chest...no...wait, he heard a miraculous sound...the faint beats of two marvellous hearts.

Fighting down the elation he felt he continued his examination. There were numerous bruise and cuts; some nearly healed and some still weeping.

It was when he came to the Doctor's mid-rift that Jack had to stop and swallow hard.

A blood soaked covering that smelt as disgusting as it looked was taped to his middle. As carefully he could he peeled it back and was nearly sick.

Something and he could guess as to what it was had been crudely removed and large painful staples were spread across the Doctor's belly like he was a piece of paper. It was weeping blood and pus and was red raw and very angry.

Jack sucked in a breath...if he hadn't succeeded in killing himself then the infection that was surely invading his system just might.

He heard the sound of running footsteps and yelled. "In here!"

* * *

Martha was the first to enter the TARDIS and she wasted no time in setting to work. She couldn't afford to think about what had happened; her main concern was the now stricken Time Lord.

She eventually sat back and looked at Jack and the rest of his team a sad look on her face.

"I want to help him Jack but I daren't move him, it will split those staples and he can't afford to lose anymore blood. I wish the TARDIS was working properly, I really need her med-bay."

As if in answer to her words a loud groan emanated from somewhere deep within the TARDIS and lights began to flicker.

Jack looked up at the domed ceiling. "Come on girl...you can do it!"

The console room was suddenly bathed in green and gold and a door appeared to their right.

The TARDIS shuddered and as they carefully carried the Doctor into the med-bay, the lights dimmed in the console room...she'd given all she could.

* * *

Ianto and Gwen sat in the dark of the console room, eyes fixed on the chink of light that was coming from under the doors of the med-bay.

"I don't want him to live," Ianto suddenly said.

Gwen looked at him, her look of horror hidden by the dark. "Why would you say that? Do you hate him that much?"

"Would you blame me if I did? Look at what's happened, the whole world suffered under him and that other monster and who's to say he's going to be different now. He's still a monster, whatever way you put it."

Gwen said nothing at first then spoke. "Martha and I watched him and the Master do some awful things, things that would make you sick. But do I hate him...no, does Martha hate him...no. She's in there trying to fight for his life because she can separate the act from the man. He's ill Ianto and he needs help not condemnation."

Ianto let out a long breath. "I suppose you're right, I can't blame the man for the madness. But what do we do if he can't be cured...what will Jack do?"

Gwen sighed and put an arm around Ianto. "I don't know."

* * *

Jack could only watch in silence and hand Martha the things she needed and listen to her running commentary.

"It looks like he just cut it away without even bothering to see what it was attached to...damn butcher. He's severed several major nerves and muscles...I'm surprised he could even walk, let alone crawl. Hand me the sealer," she said as she looked at a screen just above the operating table.

She was working blind, relying on the TARDIS to tell her where and what.

Jack turned to the table that had appeared with all manner of instruments and gadgets, which he knew was the TARDIS's doing and he silently thanked her for causing herself pain to help and vowed to tell the Doctor exactly what his beloved TARDIS did for him.

He looked at the instruments and he felt a mental nudge to pick up a slender object not un-similar to the sonic screwdriver.

He handed it to Martha and once again could only watch as she worked and wrinkled his nose when the faint whiff of burning flesh filled the air.

The minutes turned into hours and he only relaxed when Martha closed the wound with a dermal regenerator that almost but not quite did its work; there was too much skin missing Martha had said, it would have heal the slow and more painful way.

"Now, how the hell do we get him and us back to Torchwood?" Jack asked.

A loud groan filled the air and the TARDIS shudder and they and the others heard the grating of ancient engines struggling to work and the familiar sound of dematerialisation filled the air.

* * *

Jack patted the side of the TARDIS as the others moved the Doctor down into their own med-bay come morgue.

"Thank you girl, I'll come back and you can sit on the rift and make yourself better."

The TARDIS shuddered under his hand.

"Don't worry, we'll...I'll take good care of him, even if I have to keep him here forever."

The TARDIS groaned in reply and once again became quiet.

Jack sighed and jogged down the steps to the med-bay/morgue. He met Ianto and Gwen coming up.

"You two, go home and that's an order."

"Is it safe?" Gwen asked.

"I don't think he's in any condition to do anything...go home."

They both nodded and left.

Jack carried on down and entered the med-bay.

Martha was adjusting the dosage of Serum 5 and the only sound in the room was the beeping of the monitors and the respirator breathing for the Doctor.

She turned when Jack walked in and gave him a tentative smile.

"How's he doing?"

"I won't lie to you Jack. He may not have killed himself with whatever was in that syringe, but the infection from the butchers work could. I'm afraid it's up to him now."

"You mean does he want to?"

Martha nodded and stroked the Doctor's cheek. "He's a fighter, but with everything he's been through I don't know if he has the will or strength to fight anymore."

Jack moved over to the Doctor and took one of his hands, so delicate and fragile into both of his.

"Then I'll fight for him, you just make sure he lives."

Martha nodded. "I'll try my best, but no guarantees."

* * *

Jack had retired to his small room and had been so tired that he fell onto the bed and as asleep in seconds.

He was awoken by the sound of an alarm. He looked over at his alarm clock, it said three-thirty am...he'd been asleep for no more than three hours; so why had his alarm gone off, he hadn't set it?

Then he realised it wasn't his alarm, it was the alarm in the med-bay. He was up in a shot and was up the ladder and down to the med-bay in seconds.

He skidded to halt when he found Martha and unbelievably Gwen and Ianto fighting for the Doctor's life.

The alarms of the life support were going mad and the respirator was out and Ianto was using a bag to breath for him as Martha charged the defibrillator.

Jack rushed over to Ianto who gratefully relinquished the bag and began rubbing the cramp from his hands.

"Clear!" she yelled and placed the paddle against the Doctor's chest and his body spasmend but the monitor still flashed and sounded its warning.

"Come on Doctor!" Martha yelled and once more placed the paddles against his chest.

The response was the same and Martha ramped up the voltage and once again placed them.

She let out a cry as there was a crackle of electricity and a wreath of smoke came from the defibrillator.

"No!" she cried and began manually pumping his heart.

Jack stopped squeezing the bag and grabbed hold of Martha's hands.

"Enough."

The monitor still kept up its warning noises and the feeling that death had entered the room fell as the Doctor let out his last breath and his hearts stopped and the Last of the Time Lords was dead.

* * *

The Doctor found himself not in a meadow of red grass, as the hereafter should be, but in a meadow of full of wild flowers.

He looked round, hoping to see the Master and their child, but there was no-one.

A breeze ruffled his hair and the smell of blossom caught his nostrils...why did the smell seem so familiar.

Then he saw someone walking towards him, the wild grass almost up to the person's waist.

As the person got closer, he could see it was girl...he let out a gasp of surprise, he recognised her... it was Lia, the Seer from the Imani home world.

She stopped short of him and bowed her head. "Sky Lord."

The Doctor frowned. "This isn't the hereafter?"

Lia smiled. "No, Sky Lord, this is mine."

"So why am I here?"

"Oh Sky Lord, you is here cause' your hearts is broken an your soul is sick of living. I don' blames you for runnin' aways. But Sky Lord, you can't runs away from what you done, you haves to face your guilt an' live with it."

The Doctor felt his knees buckle and he fell to the ground, Lia's words striking home.

"No, I don't want to, why should I!" he cried.

"Cause' it isn't right Sky Lord, you knows it and once again is not your time. Time is ending and the drums are calling for war."

The Doctor looked up at Lia's words. "What do you mean..."

Intense pain in his chest cut off his words and the meadow began to fade.

"I will see's you again Sky Lord," Lia said as she faded.

* * *

Jack began removing the tubes and wires from the Doctor, tears blurring his vision...he couldn't believe he was gone, couldn't believe he'd given up fighting...couldn't imagine the universe without its brightest light.

He paused and moved a stray lock of hair from the Doctor's forehead and said softly.

"At least you're at peace now. I hope you find what you were looking for."

He placed a hand on the Doctor's chest and jumped as if shocked...it couldn't be?

"Martha!"

It had seemed an eternity since Jack had felt that solitary heartbeat and a miracle had happened.

Yes the Doctor was still unconscious and he was still not out of a very dark woods but he was alive.

He virtually jumped down the steps, hoping that today was the day that he would wake up.

He stopped outside the little ante-room that was serving as Martha's office and popped his head in.

Martha was busy with medical notes and looked up when the door opened. "Before you ask, he's awake."

At Jack's grin she held up a hand. "Five minutes Jack, he needs to rest."

"Yes doctor," Jack replied.

* * *

He nervously entered the med-bay, unsure of what Doctor would greet him.

The steady beeping of the monitor told him that he was at least alive.

The Doctor opened his eyes when Jack approached and turned his head away.

Jack felt his heart sink, but still sat down on the chair next to the bed.

"I don't blame you if you hate me."

"I don't hate you Jack. I don't hate anyone. I don't feel anything at all."

Jack sighed. "We can help you."

"I don't want your help, go away Jack."

The Doctor kept his head turned to the wall as if he was staring at something else.

Jack stood up and moved off, his head and his heart spinning at the Doctor's words. He stopped just short of the door.

No, he wasn't having that. He moved back to the bed and stood at the foot of it.

"I'm going to...we're going to help you, whether you like it or not. You can't run away from what happened and you will have to face it and I and the others will be there when you do."

With that he walked away knowing that only half the battle had been won and that the hardest battle was about to begin...the battle for the Doctor's soul.

_**TBC in "Cold Hearts, Slow Burning Soul"**_

* * *

_**Authors note: Lia is a character from another on of ny stories entitled "Blood Of The Imani". If you want to read it to find out how important she is to the Doctor then feel free.**_


End file.
